Peabody Renaissance Ensemble

Description

The Peabody Renaissance Ensemble, directed by Mark Cudek, presents "In Angel's Weed; Music for Mary Queen of Scots." This program features music from France, where the young Queen grew up, and includes music by French composers in her honor. It also of course features native Scottish music including Scottish settings of French dances and chansons that she would have been familiar with. We are also adding a short Italian set which relates to her musician-secretary David Riccio who was rumored to be a spy for the Pope and brutally murdered in her presence.  This set features lute fantasias of Francesco da Milano who was the personal lutenist to three successive popes. We are including a madrigal by another important woman, Maddalena Casulana, the first woman to have her music published and a near exact contemporary of Mary Stuart. The young queen was a favorite at the French court.  She was an excellent musician, dancer, and poet. In 1558, she married the Francis who became King of France in 1559. He died a year later and Mary returned to Scotland. The program will follow Mary's life (and death) in music and will also feature her poetry as well as poems written about or inspired by her.

This is the ensemble's thirty-fourth season and the director and members are all thrilled to be performing again in person for live audiences. The group has a small vocal ensemble of nine singers, lutes, guitars, viols, rebec, violin, and recorders.

The performances are Thursday, May 5 ay 7:30 pm in Griswold Hall at the Peabody Conservatory (which will also be live-streamed) and on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 in the Chapel at the Church of the Redeemer at 5603 N. Charles Street.

This performance will be livestreamed.

This performance is free and open to the public. Seating is general admission. Please review current COVID safety guidelines under JHU policy.