Purcell & Friends: The Tempest

The Henry Purcell Society of Boston is excited to present an original adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest in collaboration with our friends at the Poets’ Theatre. John Dryden and William Davenant’s 1667 version for the London stage was the inspiration for the composition of music by Baroque era composers Matthew Locke, John Banister and Pelham Humfrey. Our presentation has added selections from Purcell’s incidental theatre music as well as the familiar and exciting tunes misattributed to Purcell, but most likely written by John Weldon in 1695.

The score will be performed on historical instruments by a superb ensemble of baroque instrumentalists led by Ian Watson at the harpsichord, alongside newly created narration by renowned scholar and poet, Laurence Senelick.  Our superb group of singers includes local favorites Charles Blandy, Sumner Thompson and Sara Yanovitch.  Actors Benjamin Evett and Esme Allen will serve as both narrators and performers in the beloved and familiar stage roles from The Tempest, while some of our singers also perform lines from some of Shakespeare’s other brilliant characters!