To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare in 2016, the English Concert toured Asia in a unique take on The Bard’s influence on baroque music.
Vocalists Mary Bevan and Tim Mead sang arias and love duets from baroque operas inspired by Shakespeare’s works.
Click here to watch the trailer.
Arias and instrumental music from Purcell’s opera 'The Fairy Queen' (adapted from Shakespeare’s play 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream') interspersed with songs by Purcell and other contemporary composers inspired by Shakespeare
MB=Mary Bevan, TM=Tim Mead
Purcell - First Music/Hornpipe/Aire/Rondeau
Purcell - If music be the food of love (MB)
Arne - Where the bee sucks (TM)
Purcell - Act 2 Prelude
Purcell - Come all ye songsters of the sky (MB)
J. Weldon - Take, o take these lips away from Measure by Measure (TM)
Purcell - See, even night (MB)
Purcell - Dance for the followers of the night
Purcell - If Love’s a sweet passion (MB)
R. Johnson - Hark, hark the lark from Cymbeline (TM)
Purcell - Act 5 Prelude
Purcell - Thrice happy lovers/The Plaint/Hark the echoing air (MB)
Purcell - Chaconne
Purcell - They shall be as happy (MB + TM)
INTERVAL
Arias and instrumental music from Handel's opera 'Giulio Cesare' ('Julius Caesar') interspersed with instrumental music from Locke's 'The Tempest'
Handel - Overture
Handel - V’adoro pupille (MB)
Locke - Galliard and Gavot from The Tempest
Handel - Se in fiorito (TM)
Locke - Sarabande and Lilk from The Tempest
Handel - Piangerò (MB)
Handel - Aure, deh per pietà (TM)
Locke - Rustick Air and Martial Jigge from The Tempest
Handel - Da tempeste (MB), Caro, bella (MB + TM)
Performances
9-17 December 2016