Shakespeare Restored

The musicality of Shakespeare's writing along with the intense emotion in his plays have inspired composers since they were first performed. Dramma per Musica’s programme brings together settings by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and later works connected to the restoration productions of Shakespeare’s works in the late 17th century.

We’ve chosen to organise the programme in the typical groupings of Shakespeare’s dramas: Comedies, Histories and Tragedies. While the basic premise is using music either from productions or adaptations of the plays in these categories we have also used the history section to explore the theme in a slightly wider way. This section includes pre restoration music, and music from political events that would have influenced Shakespeare’s worldview.

The Elizabethan and Jacobean settings in the programme have luminous quality; Morely, Ravenscroft and Johnson demonstrate an acute ear both for the intonation of Shakespeare’s words and for a good tune. The programme…