Armonico Consort
TOO HOT TO HANDEL
Dorchester Abbey n Saturday, 7.30pm
Tickets: 0844 8700 887 or dorchesterfestival.com
Don’t miss this wonderful romantic comedy interwoven with music from Handel operas, including Xerxes, Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo and Orlando. With countertenor William Towers, soprano Amy Freston and the Armonico Baroque Players, conducted by Armonico Consort founder Christopher Monks. Part of the Dorchester Festival, which also includes a choral workshop with Brian Kay on Bank Holiday Monday, as well as a range of music, comedy, dance, poetry and cookery events for all the family.
Katya Apekisheva and Ashley Wass
OXFORD MAY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Holywell Music Room, Oxford
Until May 6
Tickets: 01865 305305 or ticketsoxford.com
Oxford’s annual music and science festival continues tonight with a lecture by Professor Brian Cox, based on his BBC series Wonders of the Solar System, followed by the piano arrangement of Holst’s The Planets with Katya Apekisheva and Ashley Wass. Other highlights are a Britten centenary concert and a recital by baritone Roderick Williams, with an unmissable finale on Monday. Visit oxfordmaymusic.co.uk Music at Oxford THE CHOIR of merton college n Merton College Chapel n Friday, 8pm n Tickets: 01865 244806 or musicatoxford.com Music at Oxford’s popular Chapel Series continues with this concert by one of the newest collegiate choirs, which is directed by Benjamin Nicholas and Tallis Scholars founder Peter Phillips. Early motets by Tallis, Purcell and Tavener are interwoven with contemporary works, including the premiere of a piece commissioned for the Merton Choirbook.
Stile Antico
OXFORD EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Various venues
Saturday to to Monday
Tickets and full details at oemf.co.uk
The inaugural Oxford Early Music Festival takes place in some of the city’s most glorious ecclesiastical buildings, and includes Bach’s B Minor Mass, Bach for Two (baroque masterpieces on violin and viola da gamba), Treasures of the Renaissance with vocal ensemble Stile Antico and music from the Reformation with Oxford Baroque.
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