The Queen's Lute

Lutenist Elisa La Marca presents a programme of works for the lute by some of the most distinguished composers of Elizabethan England. The recital features music by John Dowland – whose 400th anniversary of death we commemorate – alongside pieces by Anthony Holborne and other, partly anonymous, contemporaries who contributed to the "masques" performed at the courts of Queen Elizabeth I and her successor, James I.

These "masques" were refined theatrical entertainments combining dialogue, song, and dance, often performed by courtiers and occasionally even by the queen herself. Lutenists formed the musical heart of these spectacles. Their dances, variations on popular tunes, and fantasias — often composed especially for such occasions — display remarkable variety and virtuosity. Elisa La Marca, a true queen of the lute, can be experienced in the Nikolauskapelle. Her debut solo album, "The Queenes Masques", has recently been released and features this very programme.