The Kingsbury Ensemble, a group specializing in music of the Baroque and Classical periods, will present a concert titled “Fête Galante: Love & Nature” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 in Holmes Lounge.
The St. Louis-based Kingsbury Ensemble employs historically accurate practices and instruments and performs in acoustically appropriate settings. Members are drawn from some of the finest early music groups in the United States and are directed by harpsichordist Maryse Carlin, instructor in the Department of Music in Arts & Sciences.
“Fête Galante” re-creates the atmosphere of gallant entertainments (with singing, dancing and theatrical courting) held in the 18th-century French countryside. The program will include vocal and instrumental music by François Couperin, Jean-Joseph Mouret and Jean-Philippe Rameau, as well as period dances — menuets, gavottes and tambourins — choreographed by visiting artist Carlos Fittante of New York City.
In addition to Carlin, the concert will feature soprano Christine Johnson and tenor James Harr, both recent master’s degree recipients from the music department; and More Fools Than Wise, the University’s student madrigal ensemble.
Dances will be performed by students selected from the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences’ Dance Program, who will reprise the works in December as part of the annual Washington University Dance Theatre concert.
“Fête Galante” is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Department of Music.
For more information, call 935-4841.
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