The Newberry Consort Performs Romantic Renaissance Music Feb. 14-16

CHICAGO (Jan. 3, 2025) — This Valentine’s Day weekend, experience the romantic music of 16th century Europe during The Newberry Consort’s performance of “So Sweet Is Your Return: Romantic Renaissance Chansons and Madrigals,” happening Feb. 14-16 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, Bond Chapel in Hyde Park and at Roosevelt University in the Loop.

Named for the captivating last line of Alfonso d’Avalos’s poem “Ancor che col partire,” whose narrator returns to their lover again and again, the concert will feature music based on romantic poems in Italian and French, all of which capture the universal feeling of love.

Liza Malamut, artistic director of The Newberry Consort, says that many of these poems were set to music that would have been familiar to Renaissance audiences. For example, Cipriano de Rore’s version of “Ancor che col partire” was used as the foundation for many songs, madrigals, and instrumental solos. “They were like the Taylor Swift songs of their day,” Malamut explained.

The music would be performed in intimate settings such as courtly gatherings, local taverns, private salons, or even by traveling musicians. This type of music was usually sung or played by soloists or small ensembles that included singers, plucked instruments, or even wind instruments.

And although human notions of romance, dating, and partnership have changed drastically over the last 500 years, Malamut says modern audiences will recognize the complex feelings of infatuation, love, and heartbreak expressed in these songs. “Those things, at least, are as familiar to us today as they were during the Renaissance,” Malamut said. “If you look at the lyrics, they’re not that different from many of the popular songs we love, even in the 21st century. That’s something I find comforting and kind of heartwarming, actually—that even though hundreds of years have gone by, so many of us still experience those same wonderful and complex feelings when it comes to falling into—or out of!—love.”

And even if you’re not into romance, which many people aren’t, Malamut says, “The music is so beautiful that it stands on its own terms. So whether you’re looking for a romantic evening out, or you just want to hear some Renaissance madrigals exquisitely performed, this concert has something for everyone.”

In addition to the music by de Rore, the concert will include pieces by Pierre Sandrin, Giovanni Bassano, Philippe Verdelot, Adrian Willaert, and other Renaissance favorites, all of which will be performed by a five-part vocal consort accompanied by lute, harp and recorder. The instrumentalists will also perform solos, duets, and trios, making for a wonderfully intimate and texturally varied evening of poetry and music.

The cast will include five singers: Allison Selby Cook, Laura Pudwell, Matthew Dean, John Orduña, and special guest Elijah McCormick, male soprano. Instrumentalists will include fan favorite Christa Patton on Renaissance harp, renowned lutenist Lucas Harris, and the wonderful Chicago-based recorder soloist Laura Osterland.

Two of the performers are local Chicago musicians who are new to the Consort this season: Recorder player Osterlund has performed with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Cincinnati Pops, and more; and John Orduña performs with Chicago A Capella, the Grant Park Orchestra, and other national opera companies.

Tickets for all shows are on sale now.

So Sweet Is Your Return: Romantic Renaissance Chansons and Madrigals
Named for the captivating last line of Alfonso d’Avalos’s poem “Ancor che col partire,” The Newberry Consort presents a romantic concert of Italian madrigals and French chansons. A five-part vocal consort is complemented by exquisite music for lute, harp, and recorder. Enjoy a wonderfully intimate evening of poetry and music by Pierre Sandrin, Cipriano de Rore, Giovanni Bassano, Philippe Verdelot, Adrian Willaert, and other Renaissance favorites.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman Ave., Evanston
Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at Bond Chapel, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 58th St., Chicago
Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025 at 4 p.m. at Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

Tickets: $45, $65 for preferred seating, $25 for affordable access tickets, $10 for students with a valid student ID, and free for children 16 and under.

To purchase tickets please visit www.newberryconsort.org.

About the Newberry Consort:
The Newberry Consort brings together singers and instrumentalists of the highest caliber to create historically informed performances of music from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque, and beyond. By integrating historical performance and research with contemporary themes and multimedia, we inspire audiences, musicians, and scholars by providing a window into earlier times and diverse cultures. The Consort continues to uplift Chicago’s early music community through mentorships, teaching, and engagement of local artists.