The sixteenth-century madrigal, a deceptively simple, whimsical poetic form of no fixed structure, had an elusive quality that was to prove inspirational to generations of musicians; madrigal settings came to form the core of many composers’ outputs and quickly evolved a musical identity independent of their poetic origins.

‘The Madrigal Reimagined’ opens a window on how musicians exploited the madrigal’s charm, poignancy and flexibility, with settings ranging from intimate solos to grand operatic scenes; virtuoso diminutions, old and new, share the stage with touching, subtle dissonance in music by Rore, Bovicelli, Caccini, Monteverdi and others.

The Monteverdi String Band is joined by soprano Hannah Ely and lutenist Toby Carr under the direction of violinist Oliver Webber.