ne of the worst-kept secrets of Elizabethan England was the unlawful Catholic faith of the composer of the Chapel Royal, William Byrd. Under Protestant rule, Byrd almost literally played with fire when he secretly composed and performed explicitly Catholic music; in his final years, apostate Catholics were regularly burned alive or otherwise cruelly executed.
This ReRenaissance programme imagines how this group of hidden Catholic companions celebrated Advent and Christmas in secret and in danger at Ingatestone Hall in Essex.
Elizabeth Sommers – violin, voice
Elizabeth Rumsey – viola da gamba
Simon MacHale – voice
Grace Newcombe – voice, organ; direction
2025
June
Amor, Fortuna!
Madrigals for Palestrina's 500th BirthdayBarfüsserkirche
Historical Museum Basel
September
Festival 2025 «ARCADIA»
2. ReRenaissance FestivalBasel, Martinskirche
October
Brummen und Blaßen
Douçaine, Rackett and DulcianBarfüsserkirche
Basel Historical Museum
December
Advent Calendar
Daily online surprisescardboard and/or online