28 August, 2024

Discover the 1624-2024: 4 CENTURIES OF FIGHTS Claudio Monteverdi, “Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda” project

The birth of a project

The 15th of June 2023, is the official start date of the”1624-2024: 4 CENTURIES OF FIGHT” project at the “Luisa D’Annunzio” Conservatory of Music (Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy). This is a celebratory project on the 400th anniversary of the first execution of the Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, a famous work by Claudio Monteverdi (Venice, Mocenigo Palace, carnival 1624).

This initiative was supported by a high number of institutions in the Italian Abruzzo region: Conservatories of Music, Universities, associations, specialized research centres and high schools.

More about the project

In February 1624, the genre-representative madrigal Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) was performed for the first time in Venice, at Mocenigo Palace, during carnival. It’s a composition that marked the history of Western music.

The project aims to worthily celebrate this important musical and cultural anniversary in Abruzzo, giving space to creativity, the peculiarities of the institutions and the professionalism of the participants, networking them across the regional territory.

There are three main guidelines, considered essential for the success of the project:

the artistic-musical approach (installations and concerts)
the didactic approach (workshops and other forms of scholastic, professional and university musical training)
the dissemination approach (seminars, meetings, workshops, exhibitions)

The project is, therefore, not a “simple” artistic-musical revival – albeit important – of the Combattimento; but rather a real 360° observatory, modular and adaptable to the needs of the participating bodies and institutes. The celebration and study of Combattimento in all its facets thus becomes an escamotage for its conscious reacquisition, within the context of a more specific Abruzzo cultural identity.

The project avails itself, at a regional level, of the patronage and collaboration of the highest institutional and professional bodies, as well as a series of figures operating in the musical and cultural, as well as educational fields, identified as essential to the success of the initiative.

The connection with middle/high schools is very important, especially if they are musical and dance-oriented: because the new generations need to know, to the best of our ability, Monteverdi and the music of the first Italian Seventeenth century.

Upcoming Developments for 2025 and 2026: National and European Collaboration

Italy, as the birthplace of Combattimento, is undoubtedly a treasure trove of historical sites and information. However, many other European countries, from the 17th to the 21st centuries, also hold invaluable testimonies related to the work of Tasso and Monteverdi. These pieces of evidence are significant not only from a musical perspective but also from a broader cultural standpoint, offering a unique and often overlooked insight into the role of Combattimento within the social and cultural evolution of modern society.

Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda and its inspiration, Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemme Liberata, are not just crucial components of Italy’s musical heritage from the early 17th century. They are also living testimonies of a shared European legacy, enriching their already profound musical and performing arts value with ethical significance. Concepts like peace and mutual respect, which are foundational to the European Union, are deeply embedded in this work.

With this in mind, the project representatives extend an invitation to collaborate and create operational synergies centred around the theme of Combattimento among interested Conservatories of Music, Académies de Musique, and Musikhochschulen across Europe—not limited to, but including, those specializing in early music.

The project hopes to engage with colleagues, students, and institutions interested in collaborating on this initiative throughout 2025 and 2026.

In the meantime, the project representatives are also launching a new format of the Combattimento project starting in September 2024, titled “1624-2024: Four Centuries and Beyond.” The goal of this project is to foster national (Italian) interactions, involving cities closely connected to Claudio Monteverdi—such as Cremona, Mantua, and Venice—alongside others like Bologna, Rome, and Florence, which have significant historical, artistic, or musical ties to Combattimento.

In 2025, the project will undertake the mapping of musical and cultural testimonies of Combattimento across countries such as France, England, Germany, Austria, Poland, and beyond. This list will be open for review and discussion with national institutions that wish to participate in the project, with a focus on popular, research and artistic endeavors related to Combattimento.

The project representatives remain available for further information, insights, or partnership proposals.