THE LOVES of MARS & VENUS
Music by John Eccles and Gottfried Finger | Libretto by Peter Anthony Motteux
November 20, 2026 at 7pm | Cathedral Church of St. Paul | 138 Tremont Street, Boston
Join the Henry Purcell Society of Boston for a rare performance of a Restoration classic!
Featuring:
Carley DeFranco. co as Venus, David Thomas Mather as Mars, and Daniel Fridley as the Vulcan. Mara Riley Makes her debut with us as Cupid.
Stage Direction by Kirsten Z. Cairns
Music Direction by Ian Watson
Susanna Ogata, concert master; Jesse Irons, violin; Emily Dahl-Irons, viola; Thomas Barth, cello
Special Guests: Dan Meyers, recorders and percussion; Roy Sansom, recorders.
A TASTE OF WHAT WE DO
SUNDAY, OCT 10, 2021 3:00PM ONLINE
The Hunt-Berry Duo in Recital:
Works C.F. Abel, J.C. Bach, and Beethoven
Shirley Hunt, historical violoncello
Sylvia Berry, fortepiano
WINTER VIRTUAL EVENT
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2022 at 8pm ON ZOOM
We are thrilled that historian Diana Solomon accepted our invitation to discuss the role of women on the Restoration Era stage, with special attention to the “Mad Song,” soprano Anne Bracegirdle and composer John Eccles. With the help of her composer friends (Eccles, Purcell and others), Anne Bracegirdle was able to restore her image as a “virtuous actress” amid a vicious public scandal that nearly destroyed her career. Diana Solomon has written numerous articles from the feminist perspective on the roles women had to play in Restoration Comedies, and also how “mad songs” played a role in creating public sympathy for Anne Bracegirdle. Want to know what it was like to be a female actor on the 17th century stage? Join us for the discussion!
Pre-recorded mad songs performed by Amanda Forsythe and Sarah Yanovitch- Vitale will be premiered at this free event. The panelists include actor and theater historian Natalya Baldyga, stage director Kirsten Z. Cairns and HPSOB Artistic Director, Jessica Cooper.
