Madrigal Comedy: L’Amfiparnaso

Written by Orazio Vecchi in 1597, this musical romp was produced by Early Music Seattle at the Moore Theater for the 2008-09 season. It combines ribald commedia dell’arte street theater with refined Italian madrigals. Directed by Arne Zaslove (founder, Bathhouse Theatre), it was originally paired with Monteverdi’s Ballo delle ingrate to make a double bill, A Day on the Town, A Night in Hell. A reprise of L’Amfiparnaso is an opportunity to have public conversations about artistic works and the norms and values in play when they were conceived. How do we view these works and interpret them for our times? How might the art of our times be viewed by future generations?