The Queen's Closet Presents Wassail
The Queen's Closet is rounding out the year with colourful, festive and fun music from the Restoration and beyond, in the spectacular Old St Paul’s.
Have you ever wondered what a wassail is? Join The Queen's Closet on 10 December to find out!
Wellington's one and only Baroque orchestra, presents wassails and other festive music from the 16th and 17th centuries, performed as always with the Closet's unique combination of historical authenticity and contemporary freshness.
There may even be dancing ...
Established in 2018, Queen's Closet leaders are active scholars of 17th century performance practices at the New Zealand School of Music, and their performances are always informed by the latest scholarship on the music and performance practices of this era. They use period instruments and choose historically informed pitches depending on the repertoire they're performing.
The inspiration for their approach to musicking comes from the era of the Restoration of the English Monarchy between around 1660 and 1714. The opulence of The Queen’s Closet, a lavishly decorated room in London’s historic Ham House emblematic of Restoration England, matches the wide ranging tonal colours and aural richness of their music, making this a fitting name for their ensemble.