Festino del giovedì grasso avanti cena — Madrigal Concert at Pralormo Castle

A madrigal comedy in the heart of the Turin Roero

The Festino del giovedì grasso avanti cena is a fascinating musical event held in the Teatro di Verzura of Pralormo Castle, in the municipality of Pralormo, in the province of Turin, on the borders of the Piedmontese Roero. The star of the show is the Accademia Corale Stefano Tempia, the oldest choral institution in Turin, which performs one of the most surprising pieces of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque repertoire: Adriano Banchieri's Festino nella sera del giovedì grasso avanti cena, published in Venice in 1608.

Banchieri and the topsy-turvy world of Carnival

Banchieri's work is a true madrigal comedy: in the Festino, Carnival becomes an opportunity to observe a topsy-turvy society, suspended between parody and the representation of daily life, where music and theater merge into a single choral narrative. The show brings to life a world populated by lovers, street vendors, musical animals, and grotesque characters, alternating between high-brow and popular repertoire with comic scenes and interludes. Among the most famous moments is the Contrappunto bestiale alla mente, in which a dog, a cat, a cuckoo, and an owl build an improbable polyphony over a rigorous musical line: an emblematic example of the creative freedom and playful spirit that run through the entire work.

The performers

The performance is entrusted to the chamber choir of the Accademia Stefano Tempia, conducted by Luigi Cociglio, accompanied by the CFM Baroque Ensemble coordinated by Lamberto Curtoni, which supports the voices with period instruments. The program is enriched by instrumental pieces such as the Sonata Seconda op. XVI by Isabella Leonarda, one of the most important female composers of the 17th-century Italian scene.

The Teatro di Verzura of Pralormo Castle

The setting is the Teatro di Verzura, the open-air stage in the park of Pralormo Castle, where Filippo Domenico Beraudo di Pralormo hosted concerts, ballets, and theatrical performances as early as the 18th century. Attending the Festino in this place means experiencing early music in its natural context, amidst the greenery of the historic garden and the elegance of the noble residence. The initiative is sponsored by the Regional Council of Piedmont, the Metropolitan City of Turin, and the Municipality of Pralormo.