Estimated duration

1 h 30 min., incl. intermission

Organizer

Oblica Ensemble

Accompanied by the early music group Oblica Ensemble, soprano Maja Burggraaff and baritone Veikko Vallinoja embrace an opportunity to present their storytelling abilities in a selection of mythical stories, full of powerful emotion.
Clérambault’s secular cantatas have been composed with a touch of love. As the beautiful melodies grab the listener’s attention immediately, the contents of the scores are varying, ranging from comical and light-hearted scenes all the way to sorrowful mourning and complete madness, without forgetting joyful celebration.

The cantatas of the evening create a little alternate universe, where these mythical beings take on different adventures. Many gods make an appearance in many stories of the evening.
In the first story the god of love, Amour, and the god of wine, Bacchus, want to find out which one of them is mightier. As the scene shifts, the next cantata sheds light on the journey of the desperate cyclops, Polyphemus. Potentially under the influence of Amor’s arrows, he travels down a dangerous path of jealousy. After intermission, the lovers Léandre and Héro make an appearance. It can only be wished that the sea god, Neptunus, lets their love story end in an happily ever after. For the finale, as all the storms have finally passed, there is a moment to cheer together for a new era of peace, love and balance in the world.

Louis-Nicholas Clérambault (1676–1749) is known best for his contribution as the father of the French secular cantata(cantate Françoise). The Parisian composer worked most of his life as an organist and his works consist mostly of sacred music. However, in 1710 he published his first collection of secular cantatas, a collection that led the way to in total 25 works of similar nature. Most of the librettos of these cantatas are based on ancient mythology from Greece and Rome, the themes of which remain relatable even to the audiences of today.

PERFORMERS
Maja Burggraaff, soprano
Veikko Vallinoja, baritone

Oblica Ensemble
Eerika Perkkiö, traverso
Roope Jokinen, violin
Daniel Kivivuori, viola da gamba
Jasper Koekoek, harpsichord
with Teuvo Taimioja, theorbo and baroque guitar

Rasmus Strandell, light design

PROGRAM
Louis-Nicholas Clérambault:
L’Amour et Bacchus
Poliphême
Léandre et Héro
Le Triomphe de la Paix