IN STILE MODERNO

London in the last decades of the 17th century: an era of cultural renaissance. After the restoration of the monarchy and the lifting of Puritan bans on theater and music, artists breathed a collective sigh of relief. Bawdy comedies and over-the-top stage spectaculars quickly came into fashion, and for the first time women were permitted to perform on stage — and to become celebrities in their own right. In our new program, we will explore the music of this fruitful era, including theatrical songs for soprano and works for violin, guitar, and archlute by Henry Purcell, John Eccles, Nicola Matteis and Thomas Mace.