Event Description

The Fellow in Focus online lecture series (Science History Institute) gives the Institute’s scholars an opportunity to present their work to a broad audience interested in history, science, and culture.

Written by alchemist Michael Maier in 1618, it reinterprets Ovid’s legend of Atalanta as an alchemical allegory in a series of 50 emblems, each of which contains text, an image, and a musical score. This remarkable book has recently been reimagined in multimedia form as Furnace and Fugue, a digital critical edition that allows contemporary readers to hear, see, manipulate, and investigate Atalanta Fugiens in ways that were impossible to realize in full before now.

How was Atalanta Fugiens imagined by its 17th-century author and reimagined in Furnace and Fugue? What secrets are unlocked when we look at an old book in a new way? In this program, hear from Furnace and Fugue’s editors, Donna Bilak and Tara Nummedal, both former Institute research fellows, as well as scholars and librarians from our own Othmer Library. The event will also include performances of the music from Atalanta Fugiens by Loren Ludwig, Furnace and Fugue music director. To help us all feel more connected during this virtual program, everyone who registers will receive a recipe for a special alchemy-themed cocktail to enjoy at home!

Source: https://www.sciencehistory.org/event/an-alchemical-happy-hour