Ask polyphony fans who their favourite composer is, and the chances are you’ll hear the same name again and again: Orlandus Lassus. So popular that half of Europe has claimed the man from Mons as a national treasure. But who was the man behind the genius? Orlando, a Composer’s Life in the Renaissance portrays Lassus as both a superstar and a courtier: brilliant and famous, but also vulnerable because he depended on patronage. His artistic freedom was always conditional upon political power, social status and economic necessity. Director Joachim Thôme brings this tension to life in a film that subtly interweaves sound, text and images. Music by La Tempête turns Orlando into something other than a classic biopic: it is a compelling reflection on art and power that is still relevant in our time.
Film screening of Orlando, with a short introduction by the director at 2.15 pm.