In the Realm of Osman
Music from the Early Modern
Ottoman Empire and Beyond
Curated by Ronnie Malley
Friday, May 9 | 7:30pm
First Unitarian Church of Chicago
Saturday, May 10 | 7:30pm
The Newberry Library
Sunday, May 11 | 4:00pm
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
The Newberry Consort and Ronnie Malley present a program of varied musical traditions from the realm of Osman Ghazi, or Osman I, founder of the vast territory that would eventually be known as the Ottoman Empire. Originally performed at the Newberry Library and back by wildly popular demand, this program was inspired by the Tarih-i Yeni Dünya, or A History of the India of the West, an Ottoman manuscript dated around 1600. The Tarih relates stories of the explorations of Columbus, Cortés, Pizarro, and others, with commentary by Ottoman scholars. Illuminated hand-drawn maps and images from the Tarih are projected onto slides behind the musicians, and music is played on period instruments from the Ottoman Empire and beyond, including oud, sandouri, sackbut, nay, violin, percussion, and kanun.