SS Baroque presents Henry Purcell in Love: A Satirical Opera Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM PDT

Henry Purcell (Almost!) in Love: a Satirical Opera.

Countertenors Nicholas Burns and Shane Hanson are joined by Harpsichordist Christophe Gautheir in this new satirical opera featuring songs of Henry Purcell. The musicians have arranged the songs in dialogue with each other such that they follow the story of fictional rivals. Rivals (played by countertenors Shane Hanson and Nicholas Burns) are college dorm-mates who are both attempting to woo the same girl, a classmate from their university. The songs serve as ‘arias’ on the unfolding drama. Christophe Gauthier will narrate this evening of debauchery, longing, loss, and of course, love.

This programme capitalizes on the dramatic nature of song in Purcell’s era, but in an updated, contemporary context. Today, Purcell’s music suffers from a ‘crisis of context’. Frequently humourful, often ridiculous, many of Purcell’s songs are from larger lost works of theatre. The programme will provide a modern, and often quite silly, context for these songs to be ‘re-admired’.

NOTE: This event is at All Saints by the Sea Church, 110 Park Drive. General seating.

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