Amandante taps the dynamics of love and trembling that are hiding in plain sight between the lines of Plato’s Symposion, inspired by Shelley’s romantic translation.
This chamber opera starts from the proposition that whenever and wherever some are in, evidently others must be out — or under way.
Rushing from afield towards the venue where his lovers are convening is Alcibiades. High-spirited and drunk with lust, he passes through scenes and stages informed by each of the elated dinner speeches he is supposed to be missing.
Meanwhile at the back door of Agathon’s house, the playwright’s wife and the girl dismissed as flute player share their sentiments with the merchant whose wine is expelled from the feast as well — providing for a prologue, chorus-like interludes, and an epilogue that punctuate the drama. Piercing their barrier, the hero breaks into the room where Socrates and Diotima are entertaining the host. He triumphs in his surrender.
Amandante is about the paradox of getting the better of love as a division bridging individuals, both uniting and disjointing their identities.
The music of Amandante is full of melodies, polyphonic textures, jokes, passion and virtuosity. The structure of the piece is made without recitatives. All the words of the libretto are put into a singing and provide rich melodic and harmonic development.
Starting from the Overture music drives us into meditation and action at the same time.
And it keeps the tension till the last moment.
Maxim Shalygin – composer
Paul van der Woerd – librettist
Aïda Gabriëls – director
German Jauregui – artistic collaboration & dramaturgy
Bohdan Polishchuk – costume designer
Andrii Koshman – producer
Cast:
Maryana Golovko – soprano
Anna Kirsh – soprano
Andrii Koshman – baritone
Ruslan Kirsh – baritone
Antonii Baryshevskyi – piano
Fiona Robertson – violin I
Ernst Spyckerelle – violin II
Oksana Mukosii – viola
Ketevan Roinishvili – cello
Silvia Gallego double – bass
Mikheil Menabde – conductor
