Orchestra of New Spain Stages Annual Convivencia Concert
The Orchestra of New Spain will present the fourth in a series of concerts designed to explore the musical culture of Spain’s Medieval world of Al Andalus.
La Convivencia IV, a concert of Sephardic, Christian, and Muslim music, is part of the orchestra’s continued look at the culture of medieval Spain under the Islamic Caliphate that allowed Jews and Christians to work, worship, and live in relative peace in a time known as La Convivencia (living together).
It will take place May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church.
New Spain soloists will perform works from King Alfonso the Wise’s extensive collection of 420 songs set to poems retelling the miracles of Mary as collected by the King’s minions, and known under the title of Las Cantigas de Santa Maria.
Guest vocalist Jenny Luna will interpret Sephardic songs from Spain and the Ottoman regions of the Diaspora, while Jamal Mohamed and his world music band perform works ranging from al-Andalus to North Africa and the Middle East. Instruments evocative of the time include the santour, lute, viols, and the doumbek drum. The historic Convivencia will be echoed on stage with a final artistic weaving together of music of the three cultures.
“It’s a timely look at the medieval example of culturally different peoples living together with respect and tolerance,” said artistic director Grover Wilkins III. “It’s also our first collaboration with other artists during Covid, made possible by progress with vaccinations and greater confidence in safely working together.”
The concert venue, the large sanctuary of Zion Lutheran Church, continues to respect protocols of masking, seating in alternate pews, and sanitizing.
Tickets are $25 and $10 (with student ID) available through www.Ticketdfw.com or by calling 214-871-5000.
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