“Blest Pair of Sirens”: A Cavalier Cabaret

Songs, Dialogues and a Glee, by William and Henry Lawes, John Wilson and others in a Cavalier Cabaret devised by John Edwards 

Henry Lawes worked as household musician for John Egerton, the Earl of Bridgewater, where he taught the family music and, famously, wrote the songs and recruited John Milton for Comus – A Maske presented at Ludlow Castle which featured a young Alice Egerton as ‘The Lady’. After losing his court position in the Civil War, Henry Lawes turned his hand to publishing his songs and to public concert production in Oxford. Our entertainment imagines Henry delivering his first printed songbook to its dedicatees, the Egerton sisters, now great ladies and patrons in their own right. 

Cast:

• Henry Lawes, former music teacher to the Egerton family and former court musician sung by Bradley Christensen
• Alice Egerton, Henry’s former student, now Countess of Carbery sung by Juliet Beckwith
• Mary Egerton, Henry’s former student now Lady Herbert of Cherbury and Castle-Island sung by Vania Chan
• with John Edwards, Lutenist

Doors Open: 7:00pm
Pre-Concert Talk by Professor Deanne Williams and John Edwards: 7:15pm
Concert: 8:00pm – 9:00pm