The ambition of La Cité Bleue is to promote the creation of shows that bring together the greatest artists in music, theatre, dance, the visual arts and the circus. Under the direction of the Swiss-Argentinian harpsichordist and conductor Leonardo García Alarcón, La Cité Bleue offers pocket operas, chamber music recitals, musical theatre, educational activities and hybrid forms in an innovative approach to these disciplines.
After years of closure for renovations, La Cité Bleue inaugurated its new, completely renovated auditorium in Geneva on 9 March 2024, equipped with acoustic technology that is unique in Switzerland. The Fondation Etrillard is taking part in the inaugural season as patron of the concert Amour à mort.
Leonardo García Alarcón © Giulia Charbit - La Cité Bleue
Taking up the story of Tancredi and Clorinda from Torquato Tasso’s 16th century poem Jerusalem Delivered, “Amour à mort” (Deadly Love) lies
halfway between madrigal, opera and interlude. Bringing together a series of pieces by Claudio Monteverdi and other composers from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, the music sets the pace for the on-stage action in which actors, musicians and singers perform all together.
Thanks to Jean-Yves Ruf’s masterful staging and Leonardo García Alarcón’s brilliant musical direction, “Amour à mort” brings to life a moving story of love and tragic death.
Sketch of the set for "Amour à mort" © La Cité Bleue
Tancredi spots a Moorish woman by a waterhole. He immediately falls in love with her. Her name is Clorinda and she is a formidable warrior. He seeks her out at every battle, even trying to protect her, until one day Clorinda changes her armour, wanting to go unnoticed. Tancredi does not recognise her and wounds her to death, thinking he is fighting an unknown warrior.
Manufacture du faubourg Saint-Germain, « Clorinda Rescues Olindo and Sophronia », circa 1650, Collection Fondation Etrillard, inv.FE.2021.006 © Christophe Fouin
The Fondation Etrillard has four tapestries in its collection illustrating the story of The Liberation of Jerusalem. To echo the plot of the show, the Foundation has made available to La Cité Bleue very high quality digitisations of two of these tapestries, as well as a series of three videos explaining these 17th century works.
Thanks to this content and the support of the Fondation Etrillard, La Cité Bleue is offering its visitors an outreach programme around the tapestries on the touch table in the entrance hall, accessible to all visitors, especially young people. It's a fun way to extend the concert experience, combining music and art history.
Touch table of La Cité Bleue, Gevena © La Cité Bleue