Breaking the Rules, the imagined testimony of Carlo Gesualdo, composer and murderer

Clare Norburn's musical play Breaking the Rules, the imagined testimony of Carlo Gesualdo, composer and murderer originally made its debut at the Brighton Early Music Festival in 2013 (see my review), now the piece is being performed at the Newbury Spring Festival (on 19 May) and the Brighton Festival (on 20 May)  before going on a national tour. The work combines a monologue for actor Gerald Kyd in the role of Gesualdo, with the composer's astonishing music performed live by the Marian Consort (artistic director Rory McLeery) into one magical whole as the music forms a sound-track to Gesualdo's memories of his life and his murders. The work is directed by Nicholas Renton.

Further tour dates include Bury St Edmunds (22 May), Lichfield (2 July), Oundle (15 July), Cambridge Summer Music (18 July), Ryedale Festival (20 July), Buxton Festival (22 July), Branscombe Festival (29 July).