The Broken Heart Handbook

The Broken Heart Handbook is an imaginary guide for the broken hearted, created by the Nari Baroque Ensemble especially for this program. Taking the audience on a journey through a variety of viewpoints on the broken heart, each viewpoint is demonstrated by a declaimed excerpt from the imagined handbook, combined with one or more pieces from the baroque repertoire. A staple of the ensemble’s practice, this combination is aimed at creating a captivating synergy, drawing the audience into the story and inspiring emotional empathy with the protagonists.

To mirror the variety of ways one may deal with a broken heart, Nari also presents here a striking variety of musical styles. The common denominator for all of the pieces is Handel - while some were written by him, others were written by composers whom he took inspiration from. Despite the stylistic variety, this program thus comes together into a unified, fascinating journey into the depths of unrequited love.

The Broken Heart Handbook has been performed twice at the Handel Göttingen Festival 2024, winning the praise of both audience and critics.

The ensemble also offers a special version of the program with movement, where the venue itself becomes part of the performance. In this version, ensemble members are set into motion by the drama and emotion of the music, further enhancing the experience, and increasing the audience’s engagement with the narrative.