“ALTER EGO” - ELENA MEDINA’S DEBUT CONCERT
Elena Medina - Baroque guitar & theorbo with ensemble
After many years of studies, I am happy to present my debut concert from my soloist studies: ALTER EGO - a performance which combines my early music instruments and ancient poetry.
Alter ego literally means "another self." In this concert, I want to present all the different voices that live within me: my passion for early music, Spanish repertoire, traditional music, my drive to explore and experiment, and my interest in collaborating with other art forms.
This concert is an honest attempt to bring all of these worlds together—worlds that are often seen as conflicting, but which for me, they form a single, coherent musical language. I believe that curiosity and respect for tradition are not opposites, but rather complementary forces to present for our contemporary audience.
MUSIC AND POETRY
The project is inspired by the Greek poet Sappho (Lesbos, 7th century BC) who, in her poems, explores love and sexuality in all their forms: joy, bliss, excitement, euphoria, but also grief, disappointment, misery and torment.
The program is built around two baroque plucked string instruments: baroque guitar and theorbo, and the repertoire focuses on music of the 17th century. It includes music written for different constellations - from solo and ensembles to a choir accompanied by historical percussion.
During the performance, poems of Sappho will be recited and incorporated to the music.
SAPPHO OF MYTILENE
Surprisingly, very little is known about Sappho of Mytilene, considered the greatest female poet of ancient Greece. We know that she was trained in both literature and music. In her works, Sappho portrays love stories from an unconventional perspective for her time, as she expresses affection toward women. Sappho was punished for her ideas on love and sexuality, and her work was persecuted and even burned. The poetry that has reached us is fragmented, filled with enigmas and beauty.
In fact, it is because of her that we use the word "lesbian," which originally meant "someone from Lesbos." Sappho's legacy endures through the fragments of her poetry that have survived, and she remains an iconic figure in both literature and the history of women's rights.
MUSIC by
G. Kapsberger (1580 - 1651)
Giorgos Kalogirou
Giovanni Stefani
Francisco Guerau (1649 - 1722)
José Marín (1618 - 1699)
G. Kapsberger (1580 - 1651)
Traditional sephardic. Anon.
Kirstine Fogh Vindelev
Anon.
Before the performances a presentation will be held, as an “Introduction to Sappho” carried by Mads Haahr, (Master in literature by CPH university) where he will explain more about the life and work of the poet.
Choir and percussion team:
Johanne Baadsgaard: Vocal soloist and percussion
Beatriz Gijón: Vocals and percussion
Sanni Bleser: Vocals and percussion
Cintia Gómez: Vocals and percussion
The ensemble:
Sandra Lind Þorsteinsdóttir: soprano
Kathrine Brandt: soprano, viola da gamba
Lars Hedelius-Strikkertsen: baroque guitar, oud
Nikolaj Rosvig: percussion
Joaquin Durán: saxo
Queralt Adam: cello
Elena Medina: baroque guitar, theorbo
Guests:
Mads Haahr: Assistant with interpretation of Sappho’s poems and presentation
Tjarli Simone Selvig: Actress
Tickets in the door: 100 DKK / Stud: 50 DKK
Door opens 18.30
Presentation: 19.00
Concert: 19.30
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