An evening inspired by the Bard’s poetry and songs is the first musical event of OVO’s St Albans Shakespeare Festival.
It will feature local baritone soloist Julian Godlee and takes place at St Saviour’s Church next Friday, April 8.
Julian is a GP at The Maltings Surgery and is well known to many through his frequent appearances with the Brocket Consort.
He will be accompanied by celebrated pianist and conductor Stephen Barlow - no stranger to celebrity as he is married to actress and campaigner Joanna Lumley - and on cello by his brother Rickman Godlee.
Both of them have performed together frequently as the continuo players for Sir Peter Pears.
The trio will be joined by Fiona Godlee, current editor in chief of the British Medical Journal, who will be reading from Shakespeare’s plays, poems and sonnets.
The music will include Shakespeare texts set to music by Roger Quilter, Gerald Finzi, Henry Purcell, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. Cello pieces will include Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Greensleeves.
As well as forming part of the Shakespeare festival celebrating 400 years since the death of the playwright, the concert is given in aid of local charity Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope which supports child amputees around the world.
Tickets are available through The Maltings Theatre website, The Shakespeare Festival website or by phone on 0333 666 3366.
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