Historical Performance Ensembles Concert

English Extravaganza: Theatrical Entertainment in 18th-Century London

English Extravaganza brings dance, instruments, and voices together for a rousing night of 18th-century theatrical entertainment sans actors. The Baroque Dance Ensemble opens the program with lively dances featuring choreographies for England’s leading actress/dancer Hester Santlow. The Baroque Orchestra brings trumpeting brilliance to the stage with William Croft’s Overture to With Noise of Cannon along with George Frideric Handel’s scintillating Organ Concerto in G minor and Charles Avison’s ravishing Concerto in D Major for strings. In the midst of it all, arias by England’s leading composers of the time persuade Gods and mortals to choose between virtue and pleasure, duty and love.

Performed by:

• Sophia Duray, soprano and dance
• Mikhail Grazhdanov, organ
• Parastoo Heidarinejad, violin
• Naomi McMahon, soprano
• Dr. Julie Andrijeski, Director, Head of Historical Performance
• Liz Loayza and Jonathan Milord, Graduate Assistants