Movimento! Early Dance and Theatre Ensemble

Movimento! re-creates the beauty and magic of dance and theatrical spectacle in Europe’s princely courts in order to present fragments of our mediaeval, renaissance and baroque heritage.

KING JAMES REVELS

A Courtly English Masque in the Style of the Royal Stuarts

Step back in time to a courtly English masque in the style of the royal Stuarts when courtiers showed their loyalty to the King with elaborate displays of dance, music, theatre and poetry.

Presented by Movimento!

Friday May 27, 2005

What is a Masque? - and how has it been reconstructed?

Pre-performance Lecture by Dr. John Money

SYNOPSIS

What you are about to see is an entertainment such as might have been invented (by a dancing master such as Fabritio Caroso, a costume designer such as Inigo Jones or a writer such as Ben Jonson) to please King James I of England and his wife, Anne of Denmark, on one of their progressions through the great country

houses of England’s aristocracy. This is Movimento!’s invention, based on the current state of research into what actually happened 400 years ago.

In the first three acts (there were usually about four) we have a story about "the good, the bad and the ugly"…. (Don’t worry, the Muse will guide us through it!) This is called the Anti-Masque. The good guys would be elegantly portrayed by courtiers and the bad guys by professional actors who were allowed to be grotesque or funny.

The final act, the Masque Proper, would have been performed by masquers from the monarch’s closest circle of supporters. Harmony would be seen to be restored between Gods, King and Country, the message to watching courtiers being "We have a great King." But the most anxiously anticipated event for the courtly audience was the moment when the masquers would invite individuals (secretly preselected by Queen Anne) to dance with them in the "revels." Then, content with having been approved socially, those courtiers would applaud the finale (which always reinforced "What a wonderful King we have") while the rest would resolve to try even harder to ingratiate themselves with the Royalists.

Clever Queen Anne!

ACT I: SUMMER IN THE GARDEN, 1605

We meet Good King Arthur and The Little People of the land he rules so well... until the winds of change begin to blow...

Overture: The Third of My Lord of Essex Composed by John Adson for the masque “Hymenaei” (1606)

Dance: Il pastor leggiadro
First performed with commedia and musical interludes at the wedding of the Governor of Milan. Choreography and music by Cesare Negri in “Le grazie d’amore” (1602)

Song: When Daisies Pied Composed by Thomas Arne (1710-1778) Words from Shakespeare's “Love's Labour’s Lost”

Instrumental: The Second of My Lord of Essex Composed by John Adson for “Hymenaei” (1606)

Dance: La caccia d’amore Choreography and music (based on the popular song “La sirena”) by Cesare Negri in “Le grazie d’amore” (1602)

ENTREACTE

Instrumental: Mascarada (A Masque) Probably composed by Thomas Campion for “The Lords' Masque” (1613)

Madrigal: Chi vol haver felice e lieto il core Composed by Claudio Monteverdi, words by Giovan Battista Guarini (1636)

ACT II: AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN, 1605

Milord of Misrule decides to make trouble and brings in his friends, the Furies (representing Greed, Malevolence and Disloyalty) to destroy Good King Arthur

Dance: Milord of Misrule Choreography by Hilary White Nunn (2005) to “Essex Antic Masque,” composed by John Adson for “Hymenaei” (1606)

Dance: Entry of the Furies Choreography by Hilary White Nunn (2005) to “The Witch (The First Witches’ Dance),” composed by William Brade for “The Masque of Queens” (1609)

Dance: La battaglia A very theatrical dance representing a battle (one of many in the Italian dance literature of this period). Choreography & music by Cesare Negri in “Le grazie d'amore” (1602)

ENTREACTE

Madrigal: A che piaga d'amor From “Ahi, com'a un vago sol cortese giro,” composed by Claudio Monteverdi, words by Giovan Battista Guarini (1605)

Song: Flow my teares Composed by John Dowland (1600)

ACT III: WINTER IN THE FOREST, 1605

The Land of the Little People is plunged into mourning and disarray. Some of Good King Arthur’s soldiers come together to fight the Dragon of Despair, who has consumed the lives of so many.

Dance: Les bouffons Described by Thoinot Arbeau in his dance treatise “Orchésographie” (1589), music composed by Jean d'Estrées (1559)

Instrumental: The Maypole Composed by William Brade (1613)

ENTREACTE

Overture: Pavan Composed by Anthony Holborne (1599)

Madrigal: Troppo ben può questo tiranno Amore Composed by Claudio Monteverdi, words by Giovan Battista Guarini (1605)

ACT IV, THE CELESTIAL PALACE OF GODS AND KINGS

We see the symbols of order and harmony restored through the formal patterns of court dance performed by Apollo the Sun King, his sisters Aestra and Artemis, and masquers representing lesser gods and goddesses.

Dance: Il ballo nuovo dell auttore (fatto da sei cavallieri o dame) Torchbearers were generally chosen from among the children of the noble masquers. Choreography & music by Cesare Negri in “Le grazie d’amore” (1602)

Instrumental: The First of My Lord of Essex Composed by John Adson for “Hymenaei” (1606)

Song: Triumph Now with Joy and Mirth! Composed by Thomas Giles, words by Thomas Campion (1607)

Dance: Celeste giglio Choreography and music (based on a well-known song of the day, “La Monica”) by Fabritio Caroso in “Nobilità di dame” (1600). This was a virtuoso dance designed to show off the dancers' mastery of important dance forms of the period, including the gagliarda, saltarello and canario.

Dance: Pavan (Belle qui tiens ma vie) This pavan was very popular in the English court of the day and would have been included in the revels as well as in other entertainments. It was described by Thoinot Arbeau in “Orchésographie” (1589). He may have been the composer of the music, “Belle qui tiens ma vie.”

Dance: The Black Almaine This was a favourite of King Henry VIII and was allegedly where he first danced with Anne Boleyn. It remained a favourite for the revels and other evenings of court dancing throughout the 16th century.

Dance: Branle des Sabots Another simple favourite for the revels, this dance had folk origins that were picked up by English and French courtiers in the 16th century.

Dance: Furioso nuovo A balletto for eight dancers, this is the third of three dances entitled "Furioso" choreographed by Caroso. This version has been actualized for six dancers by Hilary White Nunn, with the addition of a counterpoint solo. "Furioso" refers to the name of a grapevine which inspired Caroso's inclusion of the then-new idea of a chain in this choreography. Choreography & music by Fabritio Caroso in “Nobilità di dame” (1600).

Movimento! is a non-profit society, registered in British Columbia, Canada, that promotes the study and performance of dance and theatre from our past.

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