Can classical music and ancient poetry teach us about modern economic sustainability?
In short: In 2009, a unique performance fused Benjamin Britten’s 1951 compositions with modern commercial theory. By blending Ovid’s epic tales of transformation with musings on global finance, the event explored how humanity might metamorphose toward a sustainable future before we risk losing everything.
The performance, titled 'Metamorphoses: The Terrible Beauty of Change,' was part of the City of London Festival in June 2009. It brought together diverse disciplines: Michael Mainelli, the Gresham Professor of Commerce, provided economic insights; John Harle performed on the saxophone; and William Joseph provided computer graphics. The program specifically examined the concept of 'Destruction after Excess,' using the imagery of Bacchus—characterized by the noise of shouting boys and gossiping women—to reflect on the necessity of internalizing the costs of excess within our global systems.
The artistic foundation of the event was Benjamin Britten’s 'Six Metamorphoses After Ovid' (Op. 49), composed in 1951. This work was paired with selections from the epic poem 'Metamorphoses' by Publius Ovidius Naso, completed in 8 AD. Ovid’s 15-book masterpiece, spanning over 600 pages, serves as a primary reference for Greek and Roman mythology. The lecture used these ancient narratives of transformation to frame contemporary challenges, such as the tension between robust economies and environmental preservation.
The event was part of the 'Sustain!' segment of the festival, requested by Director Ian Ritchie. It aimed to synthesize four years of Gresham College Commerce lectures on sustainability. By connecting Ovid's world of sylvan shades and wild nature to our modern, compressed world, the presenters sought to envision a society capable of transitioning toward sustainable commerce with nature, acknowledging that while change is the only constant, our current power to transform the planet carries unprecedented risks.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Metamorphoses - Bacchus - Destruction after Excess - Gresham Sustainability Talk & Benjamin Britten
- Also: Metamorphoses – The Terrible Beauty of Change
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