Sounds of the Decameron

In this program, we travel to 14th-century Florence, where Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron was written. With the Black Death ravaging Europe, the protagonist Pampinea and her nine friends seek refuge in a secluded villa on the outskirts of town. When the sun is high, the best pastime is sitting in the shade of the blossoming garden and telling stories. Over their ten-day quarantine, the group compiles a hundred stories that range from romantic adventures to heartbreaking sagas, each imparting a lesson to the audience. Ensemble Pampinea will bring the sounds of Decameron to life through Florentine Trecento music, using period instruments like the recorder, organetto, fiddle, and pipe and tabor.