York Early Music Festival to mark 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death

Running from July 8 to 16, the programme will focus on music from the Elizabethan and Jacobean theatres and pieces inspired by the Shakespearean themes of magic, mystery and the supernatural.

"The festival opens in early 16th century Venice, one of the most magical places on Earth, as viewed through Shylock's eyes," says festival administrative director Delma Tomlin. "Then we are invited to enjoy two different interpretations of The T empest; a joyous visit to Purcell's Fairy Queen, loosely based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, and finish with an exploration of 16th century English theatre, presented by The City Musick."

The aforementioned Music For A Merchant: Sounds From Shylock's Venice heralds the start of the festival in a 7.30pm performance by the Italian/American Jewish Ensemble Lucidarium in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, on July 8.

What would Shylock have heard as he walked the streets of La Serenissima? Probably a lively mishmash of songs in Italian, Yiddish, Hebrew and Spanish, mixed with music that Jews and Gentiles alike would have enjoyed while celebrating baptisms, circumcisions and weddings, as can be witnessed in a concert that also commemorates the 500th anniversary of the establishment of the Venetian Ghetto.

Sound Affairs' new adaptation of The Tempest at the National Centre for Early Music at 10pm on July 8 will combine the 17th and 18th century English music of Matthew Locke, Henry Purcell and Thomas Linley the Younger with modern works by Michael Nyman and Charlie Barber and magic lantern images by visual artist Andrew Bolton.

University of York Baroque Ensemble

Rose Consort of Viols will be joined by alto Caroline Trevor and treble Louis Sharp for Now With Silver Song They Come, a 5pm selection of Elizabethan Choirboy Play-Songs, dances and fantasias at St Olave's Church, Marygate, on July 9.

Festival regulars The Sixteen return on July 9, this time for The Deer's Cry, a 7.30pm programme of music by Elizabethan Englishman William Byrd and Estonian Arvo Part, separated by 400 years but both subjected to persecution and adversity, yet finding solace in their sacred music. Lavish Latin motets by Byrd will be complemented by his teacher Thomas Tallis's When Jesus Went and Part's The Deer's Cry and Nunc Dimitis.

York Young Voices, set up by Ebor Singers director Paul Gameson, will make their festival debut on July 10, joining with The Minster Minstrels for a celebration of Shakespeare's life and words in the 4.30pm concert, In Sweet Music Is Such Art, at the York Guildhall.

The festival will, in Delma Tomlin's words, "nudge into world music" with zarb and percussion player Kevyan Chemirani and lutenist Thomas Dunford's July 10 concert by candlelight at 8pm in the NCEM. Chemirani will be making his British debut alongside frequent festival participant Dunford, performing Toccata, where they alternate the sober and profound with spirited flights.

Exoticism and the supernatural will be explored in the University of York Baroque Ensemble's All The World's A Stage, directed by Compagnia d'Istrumenti, at the NCEM on July 11. The 1pm programme will combine Purcell's music for The Indian Queen and Geminiani's score for the mysterious pantomime The Inchanted Forest with Telemann's vivid musical representation of the national characteristics of the Turks, Swiss, Muscovites and Portuguese.

Violinist Bjarte Eike will direct festival debutants Barokksolistene in Alehouse! at the NCEM on July 11 at 8.30pm, recalling the late 17th century days when theatres were closed for religious reasons and many an alehouse was turned in a "musick-house". Anecdotes, humour and ale will accompany Barokksolistene's set of folk songs, melodies and more serious compositions by Purcell and his contemporaries, fresh from performing this concert at Shakespeare's Globe.

Alamire, performing at the early music summer festival for the first time, will present Ann Boleyn's Songbook, Music and Passions of a Tudor Queen, in a sold-out 7.30pm concert on July 12 in the Chapter House of York Minster, directed by David Skinner.

Works by Compère, Brumel, Mouton and Josquin will conclude with a haunting setting of O Deathe Rock Me Asleep, possibly linked to Anne's fate while awaiting her execution in the Tower Of London. If you have missed out on a ticket, don't lose your head; tune in to BBC Radio 3's live broadcast instead.

A second preview with details of further concerts in next month's festival will appear in What's On from Thursday. The full programme can be found at ncem.co.uk/yemf; tickets are on sale through that website and on 01904 658338.