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The Song of Arms and a Man is a selection of readings from Virgil’s poem The Aeneid performed in Latin and English.
This adaptation of Virgil's Aeneid presents Aeneas’ struggle to fulfill his destiny as founder of Rome – from his escape from the burning ruins of Troy to his asylum and heart-breaking affair with the Carthaginian queen Dido and his reluctant war with the inhabitants of his fated homeland of Italy.
The performance features readings of the original Latin epic verse by trained singers and readers, alongside an English narration which tells the whole story of the poem. This innovative and acclaimed presentation of a rarely heard masterpiece echoes the ancient culture of public performance of poetry and includes authentic music from an aulos player. George Sharpley’s adaptation of this thrilling poem is read by Emma Kirkby, Matthew Hargreaves, Victoria Punch and Llewelyn Morgan.
The performance aims to introduce Virgil’s Aeneid to those new to Latin and recapture the magic for those familiar with the poem.