Les cinquante et ung arretz d'amours

A bustling “court of love” opens its doors in the heart of Paris, its marble chambers draped in gold, ermine and emerald, while lords, clergy and even mythic figures take their places. The president, resplendent in a jeweled mantle, presides over a series of formal “arrests” that function as poetic judgments on matters of the heart, turning legal ritual into a theatrical celebration of desire.

The opening case pits a renowned lady, famed for her grace and virtue, against a zealous love‑prosecutor who accuses her of illicit affection. A young knight steps forward as her defender, and the debate quickly spirals from legal argument to lyrical confession, revealing the fragile balance between honor and yearning in courtly society.

Through witty repartee and richly described ceremonies, the work invites listeners into an era where love was both law and art, offering a lively glimpse of Renaissance attitudes toward romance without spilling the later twists of the narrative.