Farinelli and the King

(Paperback)

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Description

Farinelli and the King is a "profoundly funny and haunting mediation on melancholy and the therapeutic powers of music" set in the Royal Spanish court in the 18th century. Depressed and plagued by insomnia, Kind Philippe V of Spain lies awake in his chamber. The Queen, desperate to find a cure, hears of Farinelli - a castrato with a voice so divine it has the power to captivate all who hear it. Philippe is capricious and difficult to please, but even he is astonished when Farinelli sings, and begs him to stay. But will Farinelli, one of the greatest celebrities of his time, choose a life of solitude over fame and fortune in the opera houses of Europe And will his extraordinary talent prove to be a curse rather than a blessing Described as "an enchanting, shimmering fairytale for grown-ups"(New York Times), Farinelli and the Kingstarrred Mark Rylance and played to sold-out audiences at Shakespeare's Globe. It transferred with great success to London's West End and Broadway in 2017.

Reviews

An enchanting, shimmering fairy tale for grown-ups * The New York Times *
A pleasure that verges on the sublime * The Guardian *

Author Bio

Claire van Kampen is a musical director, director, composer and playwright. In 2015 she was historical music advisor and arranger of Tudor music on the BBC TV series Wolf Hall. Farinelli and the King received six Olivier Award nominations including Best Play.