For the third installment of the Classical Music Project Film Series, The State Theatre will screen the French film “Tous les Matins du Monde” (All the Mornings of the World) at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The film is adapted from Pascal Quignard’s novel of the same name and is set in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The film centers on Monsieur de Sainte Colombe, a renowned viola de gamba player, as he trains his protégé, Marin Marais.
Marica Tacconi, professor of Musicology in the Penn State School of Music, said the film is in French, but there will be subtitles. She will also introduce the film.
“The film is so beautifully done,” she said. “It’s a chance to be exposed to beautiful music.”
The music heard throughout the film is relevant to the time period, Tacconi said. Most notably, it features the viola de gamba, or the viol, a classical string instrument that preceded the violin, and although there has been a slight resurgence in the use of the viol, it has largely faded from modern-day classical music, she said.
“The viola de gamba is not a common instrument today,” Tacconi said. “There are only a few people today who play this beautiful, beautiful instrument.”
Though the film is based on Sainte Colombe and Marais, two historical figures in music, “Tous les Matins du Monde” is a fictional account of their lives. It chronicles the evolving interactions between these two men, as well as their musical similarities and differences, she said.
George Trudeau, director at the Center of the Performing Arts, hopes students and the community will have a greater appreciation for both the artists and the music portrayed in the film, as well as classical music in general.
“It will stretch your boundaries and expand your horizons,” Trudeau said.
While “Tous les Matins du Monde” sparks interest from classical music buffs, the themes of the film will resonate with all audiences.
“I think any piece of art is a reflection of the human condition,” said Richard Biever, executive director at The State Theatre. “So when you’re watching someone else go through something, it will resonate in your own life. I think that will happen in this film.”
The Film Series is a part of the Classical Music Project. This project, co-sponsored by Penn State’s Institute for the Arts and Humanities and the CPA, is designed to bring about more interest and attention to classical music within the Penn State community.
“Tous les Matins du Monde” is the third film to be shown in the month-long, four-part Classical Music Project Film Series. Tickets are $6 for students and seniors and $8 for the general public, plus a $1 ticketing fee.
