Death for Five Voices  is an original musical drama, inspired by the life and work of Renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo. 

featuring RYAN BAUER-WALSH, L.R. DAVIDSON, NATHAN GARDNER,
MEGHAN MCGEARY, MANNA NICHOLS, NICHOLAS RODRIGUEZ and JEFF WILLIAMS

“If Gesualdo had not committed such shocking acts, we might not pay such close attention to his music. But if he had not written such shocking music we would not care so much about his deeds. ” – Alex Ross, The New Yorker

Death for Five Voices is based on a historic event:  On October 16, 1590 Prince Carlo Gesualdo entrapped and brutally murdered his wife, Maria D’Avalos, and her lover, Fabrizio Carafa, at the Gesualdo home, the Palazzo San Severo in Naples.  At the time, the murders were widely known and documented, but nothing was done to apprehend Carlo who, as an Italian nobleman, and having caught the lovers in flagrante delicto, was within his rights.

This new musical drama explores the complex artistic personage of Carlo Gesualdo, a groundbreaking composer of the late Renaissance, and investigates how his creative internal life and subsequent compositions may have been related to his brutal external actions.  Peter Mills’ sophisticated original score, which incorporates musical themes from Gesualdo’s compositions, blends period musical style with contemporary theater storytelling to create a compelling portrait of a troubled artist, living at a moment in history when complex political and religious forces collided and changed our perceptions of the possibility of art.

 A cast of seven actor-singers and a chamber ensemble of four musicians bring to life this gripping drama and psychologically thrilling tale of the voices that lived within Carlo Gesualdo.

Please note: There is no late seating for this performance.

**Contains mature theme, parental discretion is advised**