The Henry Purcell Society of Boston is at a rare and important moment in its development.
After more than a decade of presenting imaginative, historically informed performances, we have spent this past year looking carefully at who we are, how we work, and what we want this organization to become. Out of that process, something exciting has begun to take shape: a growing, artist-led collective of musicians, dancers, and interdisciplinary artists committed to building a Society that is more sustainable, more collaborative, and artistically bolder than ever before.
Over the years, that spirit has taken many forms—from bringing children’s choirs and members of the wider choral community together for Purcell’s Te Deum and Jubilate to interdisciplinary theatrical projects including King Arthur and A Restoration Era Macbeth. We have learned that this music can be adventurous, theatrical, welcoming, and deeply alive for contemporary audiences.
But transformation requires more than imagination. It requires a strong foundation.
We are committed to doing the essential work supporting the performances: strengthening our organizational structure, supporting a transition in leadership, expanding our ensemble model, and preparing for the next generation of productions. We are developing ambitious semi-staged projects alongside the intimate, interdisciplinary performances that have become central to our identity—all rooted in our belief that Baroque music should feel alive: witty, dramatic, beautiful, surprising, and made to be shared.
We are building toward more theatrical productions, social concerts and unexpected gatherings, community collaborations, rarely heard repertoire, and important recordings. We want to strengthen an artist-led organization capable not only of doing distinctive work in Boston, but of earning broader recognition for what this kind of historically informed performance can be.
This is where you can help us. Any gift you give us goes directly to the people and resources that make this possible: artist compensation, rehearsals, production expenses, and the administrative support required to sustain work of this scale and quality.
We take our responsibility and stewardship seriously. We want to build an organization that can support extraordinary artists fairly, undertake ambitious projects responsibly, and continue bringing audiences performances that are historically informed, vibrantly theatrical, and unmistakably alive.
Become an early supporter—and help us achieve this vision!
A gift of $25, $100, $250—or whatever amount is meaningful to you—does more than help fund a production. It tells us that the community that has sustained the Henry Purcell Society of Boston believes there is a next chapter worth building. It tells our artists that their work matters. And it gives us the stability and confidence to move forward.
We believe deeply in what this organization can become, and we are asking you to help us get there.
Thank you for standing with us at this pivotal moment, and for helping create a vibrant new era for the Henry Purcell Society of Boston.
Jessica Cooper-Morgan, Artistic Director & Kim Leeds, Executive Director
