Shakespeare Now and Then

A varied program for voice, viola da gamba & recorder of music associated with Shakespeare. Included are songs by Renaissance musicians Robert Johnson and Thomas Morley which were probably performed when the plays were first staged, and compositions for 17th and 18th-century adaptations of 'The Tempest' by Henry Purcell and others. The vast range of music inspired by Shakespeare's poetry and plays through the centuries shows Shakespeare's enduring appeal. We will include arrangements of songs by later composers such as Haydn, Vaughan Williams, Margaret Sutherland, Dorian Le Gallienne, Eric Gross and Adelaide's Chester Schultz. We are also looking forward to presenting the world premiere of new settings of 3 sonnets by Canberra composer Michael Dooley especially commissioned for the group.