Baroque Ensemble Musica Transalpina Presents Vocal Gems from Early Tudor England at Sierra Madre Playhouse, 8/23

Musica Transalpina, one of Southern California’s premier baroque instrumental and vocal ensembles, brings to life rarely heard vocal gems from early Tudor England – an age of luminous music, stunning architecture, and glimmering art – on Saturday, August 23, 2025, 7:30 pm, at Sierra Madre Playhouse.

Led by Musical Director Bryan Roach, the program centers on Missa O bone Jhesu by Robert Fayrfax, which was commissioned by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII and grandmother of Henry VIII. The mass survives in three choir books compiled around 1515, 1520, and 1525, a time when English music was renowned on the Continent for its refinement and characteristic “sweetness.”

Musica Transalpina, noted for its historically informed performances of baroque sacred music, reimagines these works with fresh spirit and emotional power. The hushed intimacy of Sierra Madre Playhouse offers the perfect setting to experience the ensemble’s powerful musical interpretations with a sound that is at once centuries old and completely alive in the present moment.

Featured artists include Anna Schubert, treble; William Duffey, mean; Dr. R. Matthew Brown, contra tenor; Luc Kleiner, tenor; John Buffett, bass; and Sean Maxwell, organist.

For tickets ($12-$35) and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.