In anticipation of Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s latest play Emilia, being performed at Shakespeare’s Globe this summer, we delve into the world of Emilia Bassano, the supposed ‘Dark Lady’ of the Sonnets and muse to one William Shakespeare. The candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse sets the scene for one of England’s first feminist writers, pairing her poetry with the music of her contemporaries, friends...

Composers have long been inspired by each other’s work, whether in style, melody, rhythm, and even whole movements or works. We take a leaf from the past in creating something new and explore the arrangements of Haydn and Mozart through the centuries.The English ConcertHarry Bicket director/fortepianoMozart Fantasia in F minor (after K608 for mechanical clock) arr. BicketHaydn Symphony No.104 in...

In commemoration of the armistice, Wayne Eagling’s latest ballet (set to Handel’s masterpiece) is based on the life of Dame Marie Rambert during the Great War. A hugely influential figure on the British and international ballet scene, we follow her whirlwind romance with Ashley Dukes and her anguish at their separation as he is called back to the horrors of the battlefield.The English ConcertNew...

Uniting some of Handel’s greatest music with all-star casts, directed by Artistic Director Harry Bicket and with our virtuosic orchestra in full flight, it is an unmissable event. With Ariodante and Rinaldo in most recent seasons, now comes the turn of Semele; a tale of adultery and revenge amongst Gods.The English ConcertHarry Bicket director/harpsichordBrenda Rae SemeleElizabeth...

We love music of the baroque and classical periods, and we believe that through our performances on original instruments, with styles of playing and singing appropriate to a composer or period, we can get to the essential core of the music. With our international group of close-knit musicians, many of whom are soloists in their own right, anything is possible.

Kristian Bezuidenhout is one of today’s most notable and exciting keyboard artists, equally at home on the fortepiano, harpsichord, and modern piano. Born in South Africa in 1979, his studies have taken him around the world to Australia and North America, before settling in London. Gaining international recognition at the age of 21, winning first prize in the prestigious Bruges Fortepiano competition,...

While The English Concert has delighted audiences around the world for over 40 years, with no public funding, the survival of the orchestra is dependent upon the generous donations of its supporters. We would invite all those that follow the orchestra to join our dedicated family of donors who maintain the orchestra through a variety of established and tailored levels of support.

Ahead of our 2018-2019 season we are delighted to announce our return to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe this summer on 8th July. In recent years we've been involved in a number of projects at the Globe, from retracing Charles Burney's footsteps through the musical landscape of the 17th and 18th centuries with tenor Mark Padmore, to Samuel Adamson's play Gabriel with trumpeter Alison...