Fact or fiction in the life of Dante and Beatrice. Featuring: Dante, an opera by Godard in its world premiere recording performed by Veronique Gens, mezzo soprano, as Beatrice, and Edgaras Montvidas as Dante. Symphony no 1 by Boris Tischenko, first of the Beatrice Choreosymphonic Cycliade Dr Simon West, Dante scholar, poet and translator, University of Melbourne Dr Federico Bardazzi, conductor of the San Felice Ensemble and director of the Florence Opera Network, expert in music at the time of Dante.

Discover the most fascinating of the souls Dante meets in his journey through Hell whom Rodin immortalised in his sculpture The Kiss. Sinner or innocent victim? Featuring: The quest for the best Dantean musical version of Francesca. Is it: The Liszt symphony that started the romantics musical obsession. The symphonic version of Francesca created by Tchaikovsky  The sung tone poem using Dante text by Enrique Granados for mezzo soprano Or, an aria from the many operas by Mercadante, Rachmaninoff, Marinelli or Zandonai?    

Find out about the plethora of other woman Dante meets in his three part journey, culminating in the unexpected personality of Beatrice, his one true love and muse. Featuring: Professor Diana Glenn (ACU), a world expert on the depiction of women in la Commedia . She unfolds her original theory of Dante’s salvific mission to return to earth having been led through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise with Beatrice as his mentor and guide.  Savour the Wagnerian magnificence of Wallace’s The Passing of Beatrice.

The first 34 Canti of la Commedia involves Dante’s journey through the grim and gloomy landscape of hell with Virgil as his guide. Uncover Dante pilgrim’s pathos for fellow poets condemned to hell, his disdain for the licentiousness of Florence and his utterly original conception of the greatest sins. Meet the grandly flawed Ulysses, the great Florentine Patriot Farinata, the worst pope of all- Pope Bonifacio. Featuring: Excerpts from Symphonies 2 and 3 from Boris Tischenko’s Choreosymphonic Cycliade representing the journey through Hell. Other music including two arias from Monteverdi, Rachmaninoff’s  Prologue to the Francesca Opera, and an aria from the recent Chamber opera by Stuart McCrae called Count Ugolino. Paolo Baracchi as our Florentine Dante reading excerpts from Inferno in perfect Florentine Italian with Ted Davies, 3MBS responding in English translation.

Featuring: Music from Symphonies 4 and 5 completing Boris Tischenko’s Cycliade with additional music from Mahler, Debussy, music from the time of Dante, a Swedish a cappella choral work and the highly innovative Dutch oratorio Paradiso that incorporates the soundtrack of the moon landing. Paolo Baracchi as our Florentine Dante reading excerpts from Inferno in perfect Florentine Italian with Ted Davies, 3MBS responding in English translation.