The Music of King Ruggero

"The music of King Roger" enhances the Norman culture in Sicily through the recovery of both "philological" and contemporary interpretations of the songs handed down by the precious "Siculo-Norman" Troparia preserved at the National Library of Madrid, unfolding in two multidisciplinary and highly evocative shows, both musical and visual. The two complementary moments will indeed highlight the cultural actions of the Norman rulers in Sicily, reminding us, in the context of their well-known and celebrated interculturality, of the promotion of sacred music and medieval theater with innovative and original characteristics, namely with the first forms of European polyphony and the first liturgical dramas in the form of sacred representation. 1. “Peregrinus. Siculo-Norman liturgical drama between the Middle Ages and contemporary times” Musical performance featuring a historically informed execution of the liturgical drama, incorporating songs from the Siculo-Norman Troparia and contemporary dramatization, including the use of puppets, curated by Fabrizio Lupo, a professor of scenography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Palermo. The scenic setup, designed to facilitate the modern enjoyment of the medieval liturgical drama, simultaneously emphasizes its suggestions and sacredness. 2. “Songs, stories, and sacred representations of Norman Sicily” Musical performance with a contemporary reworking of the medieval liturgical drama, introduced and accompanied by stories and “cunti” about the conquest of the island and the artistic and cultural greatness that Sicily achieved thanks to the enhancement of previous Arab and Byzantine traditions during the enlightened rule of Roger II. The musical part of the show will therefore highlight the island's return to Christianity, through the recovery of the liturgical drama "Peregrinus" and other sacred songs contained in the so-called "Siculo-Norman Troparia" from Palermo and Catania. The songs handed down from the precious 12th-century codices preserved in Madrid are here presented in the modern reworking of Maurizio Maiorana to make such an ancient and outdated repertoire attractive to a varied and contemporary audience, featuring voices and instruments from various families. Instead of a philological reconstruction of the liturgical performance practice of 1100 Norman, a new and updated interpretive and listening lens is thus offered to broaden the potential audience, while maintaining the mysterious magic of the liturgical-medieval atmosphere. The concert-narration includes the integration of flutist Samir Ferjani, a lecturer at the Institut Supérieur de Musique in Sousse, the city from which the Arab conquest of Sicily began, and aims for collaboration with musicians active in Normandy who are equally engaged in the modern re-presentation of medieval repertoires. The two related musical performances will be set up free of charge, extending to disadvantaged audience groups; stories and “cunti” will feature translations into other languages to facilitate access for a broad and multicultural audience. "The music of King Roger," moving between the Middle Ages and contemporary times (also through the dialogue between the Chapel of the Coronation and the Riso Museum), promotes collaboration among professionals and students in both musical and visual fields and can lead to cooperation between cultural operators from the regions of Sicily and Normandy, as well as a further possible extension to Madrid, through collaboration with the Escuela Superior de Canto within the Erasmus+ Program. Musical direction: Fabio Ciulla Practical information: For everyone Free Translations in French and English online and possibly in printed programs as well Contact Partnership: Conservatorio di musica "Alessandro Scarlatti," Palermo (Les Meslanges, Rouen)