Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty
| Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty | |
|---|---|
| Starring | Charles Dance |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Original release | |
| Network | British Broadcasting Corporation (UK) PBS (USA) |
Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty is a three-part BBC docu-drama series starring Charles Dance as Michelangelo Buonarroti.
Premise
[edit]The series looks at the atmosphere of power politics and rivalry within which some of the greatest works of art of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael.[1]
Cast
[edit]- Charles Dance as Michelangelo Buonarroti
- Eddie Mann as young Michelangelo
- Jonny Glynn as Leonardo da Vinci
- Joshua Duffy as Raphael
- Sophie Okonedo as the narrator
- Laurent Winkler as Pope Julius II
- Barnabás Réti as Ludovico Sforza
- Károly Hajduk as Girolamo Savonarola
- Ferenc Pataki as Lorenzo de' Medici
Production
[edit]The three-part series is made by the BBC in collaboration with US network PBS. The series features actor Charles Dance as the artist Michelangelo. The script uses language taken directly from Michelangelo’s correspondence. Dance's part in the series was filmed in Islington, London.[2][3][4] The series has contributions from contemporary artists such as Antony Gormley, Alison Lapper, and David LaChapelle as well as other experts.[5]
The series has Sophie Okonedo as the narrator, and also features Eddie Mann as young Michelangelo, Jonny Glynn as Leonardo da Vinci, Joshua Duffy as Raphael with Laurent Winkler as Pope Julius II, Barnabás Réti as Ludovico Sforza, Károly Hajduk as Girolamo Savonarola and Ferenc Pataki as Lorenzo de' Medici.[6]
In October 2024, the series was acquired by Movistar+ in Spain.[7]
Broadcast
[edit]The series premiered in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2024 on BBC Two.[8]
Reception
[edit]In The Guardian Hollie Richardson called it a "classy documentary drama series".[9] Anita Singh in The Daily Telegraph praised the performance of Dance as Michelangelo, describing him as "great, bringing all the gravitas and wisdom you would expect", but questioned the decision not to have speaking parts for the actors portraying Leonardo da Vinci or Raphael.[10] Dan Einav in The Financial Times favoured the documentary aspect of the series mentioning that some viewers will enjoy being "eruditely guided through some of the world’s most extraordinary paintings and sculptures by a line-up of art historians, biographers and artists".[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Thrope, Vanessa (29 September 2024). "The new Wolf Hall? Bitter rivalries in Renaissance Florence coming to BBC". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (25 September 2024). "Charles Dance To Play Michelangelo In BBC-PBS Docu-Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
- ^ Yossman, K.J. (25 September 2024). "Charles Dance Set to Play Michelangelo in New Renaissance Series as BBC Sets Arts, Culture Slate". Variety. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
- ^ Billen, Andrew (18 November 2024). "Charles Dance at 78: 'I was the thinking woman's crumpet'". The Times. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Renaissance: The Blood and The Beauty - Contributors and experts on the epic new drama-documentary series starring Charles Dance". bbc.com. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ Guyoncourt, Sally (2 December 2024). "Renaissance: The Blood and The Beauty cast list and episode guide". inews. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Brzoznowski, Kristin (18 October 2024). "BBC Studios Secures Presales In Spain". World Screen. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Renaissance: The Blood And The Beauty - Preview (BBC Two)". tvzoneuk. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ Richardson, Hollie (2 December 2024). "TV tonight: Charles Dance stars as Michelangelo in a Renaissance docudrama". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Singh, Anita (2 December 2024). "Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty, review: why did the BBC blow the whole budget on one actor?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Einav, Dan (2 December 2024). "Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty TV review — stagy docudrama of art, rivalry and obsession". Financial Times. Retrieved 2 December 2024.