Thu 23 May 2013
St Mary's Church, North Bar Within, Beverley
The Fairy Queen Revisited
James Redwood animateur/composer
Hetty Wayne violin
Cherry Forbes oboe
Cecelia Bruggemeyer double bass
Robert Howarth harpsichord University of York Baroque Ensemble
Chamber Choir and Music Education Group
Beverley Grammar School directed by Zoe Hughes
Beverley Girls' High School directed by Sarah Ward
Throughout the week of 20 May, we’re teaming up with music students and members of the Music Education Group from the University of York to work with year 7 and 8 pupils from two Beverley secondary schools, on a collaborative opera project based on Purcell’s The Fairy Queen.
A Way Forward
Wed 22 May 2013
This week, as part of our collaboration with National Centre for Early Music (NCEM), we’ve been working with students from Years 7 and 8 from Beverly Grammar School, as well as York University MEG students, recreating Purcell’s Fairy Queen.
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A Northern Treat!
Tue 21 May 2013
Education Director Cherry Forbes is currently up in Beverley, working on an exciting project based on Purcell’s Fairy Queen. Here, Cherry tells us about the first day of the project; the quirks of staying in this beautiful historic town and what to expect from the rest of the week.
Read MoreA couple of celebrations…
Tue 23 Apr 2013
Today is not only St. George’s Day but also World Book Day, so we thought we’d mix some British music with some literature-related music and the result is a new Spotify playlist, including Purcell’s works on Shakespeare, Monteverdi’s on Petrarca, Strauss on Cervantes… Add some Dowland, Britten, Tallis, Sullivan and of course the most well-known…
Read MoreCountertenor
The countertenor is the highest male adult voice. Peter Giles, a professional countertenor and noted author on the subject, defines the countertenor as a musical part, rather than a vocal style or mechanism. The countertenor range is generally equivalent to an alto range, extending from approximately G3 or A3 to E5 or G5 and they…
Read MoreTOTS playlist: March
Sat 23 Mar 2013
We hope you enjoyed our OAE TOTS go Wind today- it was fabulous to see so many music makers at Kings Place on a snowy Saturday morning! If you grown-ups would like to know what you heard and maybe listen again at home, here’s a list of some of the music we played: Anon (songs)…
Read MoreLive Friday Playlist
Wed 27 Feb 2013
Anyone present at ‘Live Friday’ last week will have heard Margaret Faultless, Robin Michael and Matthew Truscott putting Purcell through his paces, on the rooftop of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum.
Read MoreFrench Exchange: Audience Reactions
Wed 12 Dec 2012
After last month’s performance of Queens, Heroines and Ladykillers: French Exchange at Southbank Centre, we spoke with some audience members to find out what they thought of the concert.
Read MoreFeisty Females: Part 3
Sun 30 Sep 2012
In Part 3 of our guide to female opera characters, we’re looking into the life of famous queen Dido…and tonight at the Royal Festival Hall, Anna Caterina Antonacci will be portraying the lady herself in an aria from Berlioz’s grand opera Les Troyens. Who was she? Dido was founder and queen of Carthage. She fled…
Read MoreFairy Queen DVD
The DVD of Glyndebourne’s spectacular production of Purcell’s exuberant take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is now available.
Read MoreGlyndebourne: on demand
Mon 6 Aug 2012
We’re very pleased to be able to offer you the chance to watch the 2009 Glyndebourne production of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, featuring the OAE, online.
Read MoreFairy Queen: First reviews
Wed 25 Jul 2012
Last week Glyndebourne’s production of Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen opened, with us providing musical accompaniment from the pit. The first reviews are in and here’s what they had to say:
Read MoreDido & Aeneas CD
Henry Purcell Dido & Aeneas An opera in three acts with Sarah Connolly, Gerald Finley, Lucy Crowe, Patricia Bardon, William Purefoy, Sarah Tynan, John Mark Ainsley, Carys Lane and Rebecca Outram. Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Choir of the Enlightenment Elizabeth Kenny & Steven Devine music directors Total Playing Time: 69.49 CHAN 0757
Read MoreTom Irvine on Bach, Handel and Purcell
Tue 10 May 2011
Here’s the latest in our series of pre-concert talks which we’re making available as podcasts. In this talk from our Baroque. Contrasted. Festival, Tom Irvine, a music historian from the University of Southampton, talks about Bach’s Double Violin Concerto and Purcell’s Fairy Queen.
Read MoreMatthew Truscott on Purcell's emotional depths and Handel's borderline smugness
Wed 6 Apr 2011
Now you get to hear from a player rather than just office bods! In this latest vid OAE leader Matthew Truscott talks about the concert he has devised and is directing at Kings Place on 9 April, – a programme which features Purcell, Bach and Handel, including how the concert fits into the Baroque. Contrasted….
Read MoreZen, new OAE digital content officer: first Nightshift experiences
Fri 3 Sep 2010
My first exposure to the OAE was at the last Nightshift at Wilton’s Music Hall, and it was a totally awesome introduction to the orchestra! I was set the exciting task of capturing footage from the performance and recording vox pops of members of the audience and orchestra and editing it down to a…
Read MoreThe Night Shift at Wiltons: Pictures
Fri 20 Aug 2010
Last Friday saw The Night Shift (our late-night informal concert series) take place for the very first time at Wilton’s Music Hall. The evening started off with music from Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee and guests – as you might glean from his name, he plays the flute and beatboxes at the same time – stunning. At…
Read MoreMatthew Truscott on Wilton's
Wed 14 Jul 2010
The other week we were preparing a press release about our forthcoming Night Shift at Wilton’s Music Hall, and we asked OAE leader and director of this performance, Matthew Truscott for a quote to go on the release. We really loved his description of the venue so thought we’d share it with you here. We’ll…
Read MoreStrictly Baroque!
Fri 10 Jul 2009
Last Wednesday OAE friends gathered together for a Baroque dancing session. Tutor Nicola Gaines led us through the basic steps of Baroque dance, and we were accompanied by a quartet of OAE players, performing music by Handel and Purcell and also taking a solo spot later in the evening while we all had a rest…
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