Al Fresco Concert of Classical and Jazz Music Inspired by Ancient Literature

Special outdoor performance of classical and modern jazz music inspired by Greek heroes and heroines in The Pythiad

Apr 20, 2016

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On the evening of May 21, 2016, the Getty Villa will host a special outdoor performance of classical and modern jazz music.

Inspired by Greek heroes and heroines in The Pythiad, the al fresco concert will take place in the beautiful surroundings of the Villa’s Outer Peristyle garden. The special evening event will include wine and delectable Mediterranean bites for sale and a chance to browse the museum galleries, including the recent exhibition Roman Mosaics Across the Empire.

The Pythiad is a multi-movement piece written for voice, string quartet, soprano saxophone, and string bass, performed by composer and saxophonist Jim Gailloreto, his ensemble Jazz String Quintet, and jazz vocalist Cheryl Wilson. Blending classical music and modern jazz, The Pythiad weaves improvisation with post-Impressionistic, modernist writing. Each movement frames the tales of nine lesser-known Greek heroes with contemporary language, metaphors, and slang. Old myths are mixed with the tropes of 1980s action cinema, video games, and disaster films, as well as the quandaries of medicine, athletics, gender and faith. In the overture, the Oracle of Delphi, acting as a psychotherapist, invites nine heroes (and the audience) into her office. As their narrative unfolds, she uncovers the motivations, obsessions, and psyches of these unusual characters. Through story and song, each movement examines human nature and heroism, and all the imperfections beneath the surface.

The concert will begin at 7:30pm on Saturday, May 21, 2016. Starting at 6:00pm, the museum galleries will reopen and concessions will be available for those attending the concert. Afterward, the Outer Peristyle garden will remain open and concessions will be available until 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available by calling 310–440–7300 or online at Concerts at the Villa.

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