Goya’s World: Reflection & Revolution

Saturday, February 22 at 7:30 pm

Zilkha Hall / Hobby Center For The Performing Arts

The turbulent environment of Spanish artist Francisco Goya takes center stage in a multi-media program featuring lively instrumental and vocal works by Francisco Courcelle, Fernando Sor, Vicente Garviso, plus one of Luigi Boccherini’s beloved guitar quintets.

Embracing the ideals of the French Revolution, yet despising the tyranny of the new Emperor Napoleon, Francisco Goya y Luçientes was a man of contrast and conflict. Braggart, court painter, war journalist, and political, as well as religious but a satirist, he lived much of his life in the shadow of the Inquisition, yet he enjoyed the patronage of a conservative Catholic king.

In his paintings he depicted all aspects of late 18th and early 19th century Spanish life: the leisure class enjoying a day on the banks of the Rio Manzañeras, a traditional bullfight, a tavern brawl, common people dancing a bolero or fandango, poverty, military might, royal majesty (albeit sometimes as a parody) and, most deliberately, the horrors of war.

This multi-media program will trace Goya’s life with projections of his paintings accompanied by the Spanish music of his time. “Goya’s World: Reflexión y Revolución” is curated and guest directed by Ars Lyrica guitarist and lutenist Richard Savino.

About the artists

Artist Reviews

“Duarte’s voice soars and glides with a crystalline beauty.”

- Opera Wire

“Here Richard Savino reveals himself as a force to be reckoned with.”

- Gramophone, UK