Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Christmas at Glen Eyrie Castle - The Madrigal

By Tiffany Amber Stockton



Last month, I shared about the El Pomar Foundation and how Spencer Penrose brought all his philanthropic ventures together through this charitable organization. This month, we get to delve into some revelry and Christmas cheer through a feature on The Madrigal, a Renaissance Christmas experience at Glen Eyrie Castle.

THE MADRIGAL at GLEN EYRIE

Pageantry, pomp and plated pleasures await our royal guests to the Castle. The performances are beautiful, the songs are stunning, and the comedy will make your cheek muscles hurt and give your stomach a workout burning calories.

The History of the Madrigal

Ever wonder just what "Madrigal" means? Me too! The term Madrigal actually first referred to a short lyrical style of poetry. It then was applied to a style of music that often used this type of poetry for its text.

The original Madrigal music was complex polyphonic and unaccompanied vocal music developed in the 16th century. This style of music maintained its popularity through the 17th century.

English gentry taking holiday in Italy took delight in the music form and brought it home with them. As a result, English Madrigal music flourished.

Madrigal singing was at first an informal type of private entertainment at the castles and country homes of the landed gentry. Many lords and ladies performed the music themselves as they sat at dinner in the Great Hall. The singing of Madrigals was naturally popular during the twelve days of the Christmas Season, giving listeners a wealth of Madrigal Christmas music.

The Madrigal Today

The Madrigal Banquet began at Glen Eyrie in 1989 with only two performances in the winter season. It was created by its director, David McIntosh, and has been led by him to this day. His vision and attention to detail is what has made the Madrigal Banquet grow to what it is today. It has grown to include spectacular Chorale Singers, Bell Choirs, Lutists and Flutists, Bagpipes and Trumpets, and many other spectacular performances over a savory 5-course meal through the evening.

The performers are pleased and excited to celebrate the Christmas season in such a festive way with all who attend. My husband's company held their annual Christmas party here the year we were first married. Oh, what an experience! It's one I'll never forget.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Have you ever attended The Madrigal at Glen Eyrie? Were you there with friends, or for a corporate event, or perhaps a romantic evening?

* Have you ever attended a performance similar to this? Something resembling a dinner theater musical review. What was it and when did you attend?

* What is your favorite type of live performance, and when did you last enjoy it?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below. Next month, I'll start on a new theme. Come back in January to see what it is!


BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who has partnered with Nerium International in the anti-aging and personal development industry, helping make people better from the inside out.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have one girl and one boy, a Retriever mix named Roxie, an Australian cattle dog named Timber, and two Betta fish. She has sold twenty (20) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can also find her on FacebookTwitterPinterest, and LinkedIn.

2 comments:

  1. I attended the Madrigal in 2007 with friends. I even volunteered as a coat check girl that same year. The Madrigal is an amazing experience.

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  2. I'm late in commenting, but I have enjoyed your posts on Colorado Springs so much. Yes, we have attended the Christmas Madrigal at Glen Eyrie several times. It was the highlight of our Christmas season when we lived in that area. We always went with one of our best couple friends, and we stayed in the castle. Thanks for these posts. Merry Christmas!

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