The Shepherds of Bethlehem

Take a trip to Rome on Christmas Eve in the year 1629, where a performance is taking place in the lavishly decorated Vatican palace. The Shepherds of Bethlehem, an oratorio composed by Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger with a libretto by Giulio Rospigliosi (later Pope Clement IX). Singers play the roles of shepherds and angels and tell of the nativity story through solos, duets, trios and full choruses.

Fieri Consort will present this Christmas play interspersed with instrumental and vocal pieces by Kapsperger and some of his contemporaries. Kapsperger was known as a virtuoso and left his legacy in the development of music for lute and theorbo. 

Singers: Hannah Ely, Helen Charlston, Nancy Cole, Tom Kelly, Ben Rowarth

Baroque guitars: Toby Carr

Baroque harp: Aileen Henry

Viola da gamba: Harry Buckoke

Recorder: Olwen Foulkes