FRIENDS OF THE RUDOLF KEMPE SOCIETY invite you to join them in celebrating the 350th Anniversary of HENRY PURCELL, England’s greatest composer, on Sunday 13 September, 7.30pm, at the KEMPE STUDIO at THE MUSES, 58 Waterside.

Under the title ‘Music for a While’, a programme has been devised by Cordula Kempe in which the life and work of this great genius – of whom we know less than of the Egyptian Pharaohs – will be explored by the Bergonzi Quartet (Cordula Kempe and Alexander Laing, violins, Neil Clarke, viola, Peter Wilson, cello) with RSC Head of Music John Woolf on harpsichord. Together they will perform a rich selection of Purcell’s most glorious works, ranging from dramatic theatrical music to his mysterious Fantazias.

Purcell’s Songs and Airs will be brought to life by the rising star soprano HELEN-JANE HOWELLS, a multi-award-winning young artist equally at home in opera and oratorio as in Jazz and contemporary music, who is currently appearing in The Fairy Queen and Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne.

The biographical narrative will be read by actor Jeffery Dench.

This performance – re-scheduled from 5 July – will be given in memory of Charlotte Oettinger, Codula Kempe’s mother who passed away on 22 August; she was a great supporter of the Rudolf Kempe Society and its work.

Tickets are available from the Civic Hall Box Office, phone 01789 207100.

(Tickets purchased for 5 July are of course valid for 13 September)