Dance workshop for Ambassadors
Let yourself be swept away by the splendour of the French court and experience the Baroque as it was in 1693: not just by listening, but by dancing too. Ahead of the concert by A Nocte Temporis – featuring the rare opera Alcide by Marin Marais and Louis Lully – you are warmly invited to an inspiring Baroque dance workshop.
Under the guidance of an expert, you will be introduced to graceful steps, refined bows and expressive movements that were indispensable in French court culture. Discover how music and dance reinforce each other and together form the theatrical heart of Baroque opera.
No experience is necessary: everyone can take part. This workshop will not only let you hear the music, but also feel and experience it. You’ll enter the concert with a new appreciation for the elegance, drama and rhythmic richness of the French Baroque.
Tutor: Arie Koelemij
About the concert:
Hero, demigod, hopelessly in love: in Alcide, Hercules finds himself in the midst of a drama full of passion, jealousy, and fate. With this tragédie en musique, Marin Marais and Louis Lully – son of – created a worthy successor to the operas of the great Jean-Baptiste: faithful to the spirit of Versailles, but with an unmistakable touch of their own.
Sizzling recitatives, captivating dances, a mad scene, and even a descent into the underworld: this is Baroque musical theatre at its most spectacular. Reinoud Van Mechelen, his ensemble A Nocte Temporis, and the Chœur de Chambre de Namur bring this forgotten Parisian sensation from 1693 back to life.
At the same time, Alcide is a rare tour de force: the opera was recently reconstructed in collaboration with the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles and calls for an exceptionally large cast of soloists, choir, and orchestra – pure splendour of the French court.
Click here for more detailed programme information about the concert.
Programme
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18:30-19:30
Dance workshop by Arie Koelemij
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20:00-22:15 (incl. intermission)
Concert by A Nocte Temporis & Chœur de Chambre de Namur