Raimbaut, vida e cansos
Raimbaut, vida et cansos
A tale for voice and harp, psaltery, in Provençal
based on music and texts by Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (1165-1207)
by and with MATTEO ZENATTI
costumes GAETANO MIGLIORANZI
tailoring CAPRARA
philological consultancy ANDREA GIRAUDO
direction PAOLA TORTORA – VintuleraTeatro
This performance was made possible
thanks to the fundamental support of Espaci Occitan
which made the theatrical training residency and debut possible in October 2025.
An original and previously unreleased concert dedicated to Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (1180-1207), to evoke the words and songs (the only seven known) of a courageous and amorous troubadour and knight.
Adventurous events will lead him to meet the most important people in his life, from Provence to Monferrato, all the way to Constantinople, where, at the time of the Fourth Crusade, he mysteriously disappeared.
An inspiration born during a journey, on foot and with the harp, that the musician took while singing Raimbaut, ideally retracing the same paths he had traveled.
In these humanly controversial times, a heartfelt and vibrant tribute to an extraordinary man, at once reserved and bold, humble and rebellious, capable of combining chivalry, love, music, and poetry in a triumph of beauty, strength, and irrepressible vitality.
On stage, Matteo Zenatti plays Raimbaut, narrating and singing—through his own poems and cansos, as well as the texts handed down by anonymous vidas and razos — of his adventures alongside the Marquis Boniface I of Montferrat and his love for the Marquis’s sister, Beatrice, from his stay in Montferrat to the end of his adventures in Asia Minor.
Raimbaut thus tells us about his life, in prose, poetry, and song.
Around him, in a place of memory represented by a hexagon and the spaces it divides on stage, are the simulacra of what was important to him: the Marquis Boniface’s cloak, Beatrice’s veil, his private room, the ballroom. Moving among them, Raimbaut retraces and relives his adventures and presents them to the spectator in his native language, Provençal.
The recited texts scroll in the background, accompanied by translations.
Photos
Concert/recital of troubadour music for solo musician, voice and harp/psaltery.
A venue with a stage or a centrally located space is required, with a minimum stage size of 7 x 7 meters.
It is not suitable for outdoor performances, except in locations isolated from outside noise and with good acoustics.
The performance is intended as an unamplified performance, but if necessary, a radio microphone can be used for the singer.
Fixed, spot-lit lighting is required.
If venues are available, lighting effects can be added.
The venue must be available at least 5 hours before the performance.
Given the language used, video projection with translations provided by the musician is strongly recommended.
The performance lasts approximately one hour.
All the information you need to contact Matteo Zenatti can be found on the dedicated page of the website.