"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour"
Auguries of Innocence - William Blake
Programme Description
Eternity in an Hour is an evocative journey into the heart of poetic vision, where song, verse, and imagery come together to reveal the timeless quest for truth, beauty, and self-knowledge. Since antiquity, artists, musicians, and poets have inspired one another, distilling human experience into words, images, and soundscapes that lead us to the wellspring of enduring insight.
In this multi-faceted performance, Eternity in an Hour brings to life the verses of Kabir, William Shakespeare, and William Blake. Each poet, through songs and sonnets set to contemporary folk melodies, casts their own reflection on the mysteries of existence. Visual projections heighten the atmosphere, interweaving image with sound and word.
Featuring:
Guitar and Vocals - Victor Vertunni
Double Bass - Maxim Vertunni
Kabir Das: The Mystic Poet
Rooted in both Hindu and Islamic traditions yet critical of both, Kabir's verses capture the mystical in the details of daily life. Born near Benares in the late 14th century, he became a disciple of the Hindu ascetic Ramananda, embracing a spiritual path that spoke to the universality of human experience and the divine.
William Shakespeare’s Soulful Sonnets
Known primarily for his plays, Shakespeare also wrote 154 sonnets that delve into love, time, and change. These sonnets explore the divide between ideal and reality, expressing a yearning for the imagination’s power to transcend mortality.
William Blake: A Prophet Against Empire
Blake’s words written in 18th-century London, shone through the encroaching shadows of industrialism. Endowed with boundless empathy, he gave voice to those unheard, decrying the apathy that erodes humanity. His poetry and imagery remain a powerful call to awareness and compassion.
Join us on a musical journey into the wisdom and beauty of these timeless poets, discovering echoes of our own inner landscapes.
Review Excerpts:
"Musically a small masterpiece of inventiveness, truly inspired..." - Max Marchini (Rockerilla)
"Victor’s incredible voice soars high and touches the heart." - Eleonora Bagarotti (Libertà)
"The poet’s splendid lyrics are set to music by Victor with palpable sensitivity." - (JAM)
"A warm and evocative voice, excellent arrangements capturing visionary impressions." - Gianmarco Aimi (Libertà)
The Artists:
Victor Vertunni
Victor is an actor, a soulful folk singer-songwriter, and a lifelong enthusiast of William Blake. Born in London, he currently lives in Piacenza. After graduating in theatre studies from the University of East Anglia, he worked in a wide range of theatre productions before co-founding the internationally renowned Theatre of Eternal Values. Vertunni’s approach to artistic creation is deeply rooted in a pursuit of truth and beauty. He is especially known for his musical adaptations of William Blake’s original poems, taken from Songs of Innocence and of Experience. In 2005, his collaboration with other Theatre of Eternal Values members led to incorporating some of his songs into two theatrical works centered on Blake’s life and works: William Blake’s Divine Humanity (New Player’s Theatre and Blake 250 Festival, London 2007) and Eternity in an Hour (which toured across Europe, Turkey, China, and the USA), where Victor played the role of the Bard. Currently, Victor portrays William in Shakespeare’s Women by Monia Giovannangeli, directed by Eric Loren, and records audiobooks.
https://www.victorvertunni.com
ANTON PYVOVAROV
Anton Pyvovarov is a Ukrainian saxophonist and composer, influenced by classical, jazz and popular music. He started playing the saxophone at the age of eleven, recording his first album at the age of nineteen. He has participated in international jazz festivals and television programmes in Ukraine. In 2007, he was awarded a scholarship to the New School University in New York, where he studied with Chico Hamilton. He lives in Austria, where he performs, writes music for ensembles and electronic media, and his Big Band pieces have been nominated for international composition awards.
https://soundcloud.com/antonjazzsax
https://antonpyvovarov.bandcamp.com/album/selected-works
Anton Pyvovarov è un sassofonista e compositore ucraino, influenzato dalla musica classica, jazz e popolare. Ha iniziato a suonare il sassofono a undici anni, registrando il suo primo album a diciannove anni. Ha partecipato a festival jazz internazionali e programmi televisivi in Ucraina. Nel 2007 ha ottenuto una borsa di studio per la New School University di New York, dove ha studiato con Chico Hamilton. Vive in Austria, dove si esibisce, scrive musica per ensemble e media elettronici, e i suoi brani per Big Band sono stati nominati per premi internazionali di composizione.
MONIA GIOVANNANGELI (Attrice, regista, autrice e teatroterapeuta)
Actress, director, author and theatre therapist. Monia is the artistic director of the Festival Cultura dello Spirito, with musicians and artists from different parts of the world, which started in Italy in 2008 and has also held editions in the United States and China since 2013. As an author, Monia has adapted numerous works such as the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Divine Comedy for the stage. After the success of the theatrical adaptation of Maura Pizzorno's historical novel, Catherine the Great of Russia (produced by Cantiere Simone Weil, Piacenza 2015), in 2016 Monia undertook the writing of ‘Shakespeare's women’, to date touring all over Europe. In 2017, her play, Ali (Wings), inspired by Anton Chekhov's novel ‘Ward 6’, was focused on mental health and performed with an all-female cast. Other plays of hers were performed at the Festival Teatro e Oltre in Piacenza: Le vergini giurate, based on the sworn virgins of Albania, and Bella io, bella tu, a play about the meaning of beauty. Among the numerous shows written and produced are the concert shows: ‘L'Amor che move l'alte stelle’, ‘Breath of the earth’, ‘Kumba’ and ‘The Divine Mother’. Since 2014, she has been collaborating in the Piacenza area with the Cantiere Simone Weil and the group of which she is director and author, ‘TevLab’, by the association Theatre of Eternal Values international, of which she is artistic director.
Attrice, regista, autrice e teatroterapeuta. Monia è la direttrice artistica del Festival Cultura dello Spirito, con musicisti ed artisti da diverse parti del mondo, nata in Italia nel 2008 e che, dal 2013, ha tenuto edizioni anche negli Stati Uniti e in Cina. Come autrice, Monia ha adattato per il palcoscenico numerose opere come il Mahabharata, il Ramayana e la Divina Commedia. Dopo il successo dell'adattamento teatrale del romanzo storico di Maura Pizzorno, Caterina la Grande di Russia (prodotto dal Cantiere Simone Weil, Piacenza 2015), Monia nel 2016 ha intrapreso la scrittura di "Shakespeare's women", ad oggi in tour in tutta Europa. Nel 2017 il suo spettacolo, Ali (Wings), ispirato al romanzo di Anton Cechov, "Ward 6", è stato incentrato sulla salute mentale e rappresentato con un cast interamente femminile. Altre sue opere sono state rappresentate al Festival Teatro e Oltre di Piacenza: Le vergini giurate, basata sulle vergini giurate dell'Albania, e Bella io, bella tu, una commedia sul significato della bellezza. Tra i numerosi spettacoli scritti e prodotti sono presenti i concerti spettacolo: "L'Amor che move l'alte stelle", "Breath of the earth", "Kumba" e "The Divine Mother". Dal 2014 ad oggi collabora sul territorio piacentino con il Cantiere Simone Weil ed il gruppo di cui è regista e autrice “TevLab” a cura dell'associazione Theatre of Eternal Values international, di cui e direttrice artistica.
ALEXANDER LI
Alexander Li is a versatile jazz and world music guitarist with over 30 years of experience in performance and teaching. Trained at the Conservatory G. Freskobaldi in Italy, where he earned a degree in jazz guitar, he also studied jazz and classical music in St. Petersburg. His dedication to Indian classical music has taken him to workshops with respected musicians like Pt. Bhajan Sopori and Pt. Subramanian Bhaskara. Since 2009, he has performed in jazz, fusion, and world music ensembles throughout Europe, as well as in Indian classical music concerts. His collaborations include artists such as Didier Lamothe, Matt Malley, and Avaneendra Sheolikar. An experienced teacher, he has led workshops in guitar improvisation and taught music fundamentals to students of all ages. His work has been featured at festivals including "Culture of the Spirit" and "Sitar in St. Petersburg," reflecting his broad musical expertise and commitment to cultural exchange.
Programme
William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
William Blake's Songs of Innocence and of Experience
- My Pretty Rose Tree (Songs of Experience)
- Introduction (Songs of Innocence)
- Nurse's Song
- The Chimney-Sweeper (Songs of Innocence)
- The Little Black Boy (Songs of Innocence)
- The School Boy (Songs of Innocence)
- A Little Boy Lost (Songs of Experience)
- The Tyger (Songs of Experience)
- A Little Girl Lost (Songs of Experience)
- A Dream (Songs of Innocence)
- The Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Experience)
- The Angel (Songs of Experience)
- Ah! Sun-Flower (Songs of Experience)
Kabir Das
- O Friend
Victor Vertunni
- Kundalini, Sacred Mother
- Eternal Delight
Performers
- Voice and Guitar: Victor Vertunni
- Saxophone: Anton Pivoravov
- Guitar: Alexander Li
- Dance: Monia Giovannangeli
All music composed by Victor Vertunni: https://www.victorvertunni.com/
