"Morir non puo il mio cuore" by Maddalena Casulana (c.1544 - c.1590) - Nightingale Vocal Ensemble

Benjamin Perry conducted Nightingale's performance of this under-appreciated gem from the Renaissance. "Morir, non puo il mio cuore" ("my heart cannot die) is an expressive Italian madrigal composed by Maddalena Casulana, the first woman to have a book of her music published in the history of Western music. The music and text express a deep sense of longing for the beloved, for whom the speaker would "die" (evoking the well-dressed Renaissance innuendo of "death" being a metaphor for "romantic climax"). This madrigal of unrequited love opens the narrative of Nightingale's program for A New Love Story: Madrigals Reimagined, the finale virtual concert of our 2020 - 2021 season. Enjoy!

“Morir Non Puo Il Mio Core”
Composer: Madalena Casulana
Text: Unknown, likely Madela Casulana
Conductor: Benjamin Perry
Audio Engineer: Benjamin Perry
Video Production: Benjamin Perry
Originally aired May 15th, 2021

Listen to the complete concert program here on our channel or at nightingalevocalensemble.com!

Madrigals - for centuries, we've loved the way they launch words right off the page, springing to life with their rich rhetoric, witty charm, and colorful drama. In A New Love Story: Madrigals Reimagined, Nightingale, in its characteristic concept-driven flare, offers a 21st century spin on the beloved Medieval and Renaissance art form. The arch of the concert takes us through the process of a modern love story - but instead of involving royalty, duty, chastity, and gender roles (all too common in Renaissance madrigal poetry) our take offers a fresh perspective on romance: namely that we can work through the barriers to love, despite cultural or social pressures, and thrive with our hearts beating and voices singing.

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