Taking up an ancient tradition, the medieval bestiary describes from the beginning of the 12th century the animal world, real or imaginary, and interprets it symbolically with a view to religious and moral teaching.

 

Around the middle of the 13th century, Richard de Fournival's Bestiary of Love completely renewed animal symbolism in the context of courtly love, sung by the trouvères. The quest is now that of the truth of love, revealed by the symbolic relationships between human and animal loving behavior. The account of Richard, moreover one of the greatest minstrelsy, is remarkable for mastery, elegance and presents itself under the fiction of a personal love affair, not devoid of humour, even self-mockery. The poet, unhappy lover, reveals in an autobiographical way the ways by which one can reach the heart of a lady, the multiple detours of the courtly amorous strategy.

 

Our program alternates short stories by Richard and songs by the trouvères. The jewels of this repertoire of courtly love songs are interpreted in a way close to those of the trouvères themselves: a cappella or with the accompaniment of a reduced instrumentarium.