Fair Oriana

Penelope Appleyard, soprano
Angela Hicks, soprano
Sam Brown, lute
Harry Buckoke, viola da gamba

Programme

The Trials and Triumphs of Oriana

This programme is intimate yet theatrical. It centres around Thomas Morley’s madrigal collection of 1601, “The Triumphs of Oriana” uniquely arranged here for two voices with instrumental accompaniment.

The programme features three of these ‘Triumphs’ to represent the glorious public face of the Queen, but pitches these against the stark contrast of her private persona, her ‘Trials’, which are represented by lute songs and more internalised, emotional music. This programme takes the audience on a journey, exploring the public and private sides to Elizabeth, the performers moving between three areas of the stage: a concert platform for the Triumphs, a domestic setting for the Trials, and a ‘throne’, reserved for the items that use Queen Elizabeth’s own words. All this is achieved using only a series of chairs, meaning it is easily achievable, and adaptable.

The programme celebrates the works of John Dowland in particular, while also introducing a brand new psalm setting and contemporary lute song by composer Fraser Wilson, that sets Elizabeth’s own words to music and explores jazz as well as historical influences.

Venue

Ilminster
Friday 7 July, 7.30PM

Ilminster Arts Centre, East Street, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 0AN
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Booking

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Alternative concert dates

Bridport
Friday 7 July, 11.30AM

Tickets for Bridport are not for sale via this booking site.

Bridport Arts Centre, South Street, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3NR
Box Office: 01308 424901
Ticket sales by phone or in person from the Tourist Information Centre,
South Street, Bucky Doo Square, Bridport, DT6 3LF
Monday – Saturday – 10am – 3pm
OR online at www.bridport-arts.com
Tickets can be bought on the door from 11am, by card only.
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Crewkerne
Saturday 8 July, 7.30PM
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We are delighted that Fair Oriana is part of our 2023 series. They are joined by Sam Brown and Harry Buckoke.

Both members of Dame Emma Kirkby’s ensemble Dowland Works, specialist early music sopranos Angela Hicks and Penelope Appleyard joined forces in 2019 to form Fair Oriana. The duo mixes their passion for historical music with entertaining staging, contemporary influences and, varying genres such as folk, medieval and jazz.