Shakespeare anniversary year - again!

2016 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare - just two years ago we celebrated the 450th anniversary of his birth, but this year there are many more events.  I've already been to the first of the CBSO's concerts in his honour - music by Verdi and Strauss (Macbeth), the CBSO Chorus on fine form singing Vaughan Williams' Shakespeare Songs, and Walton's music for the film Henry V interspersed by the play's greatest speeches with actor Samuel West.  Bruce O'Neil, Head of Music at the Royal Shakespeare Company, gave a fascinating pre-concert talk.

Our featured concert this week is a recital on the Shakespeare theme by the young baritone Ashley Riches, with pianist Emma Abbate, at the Stratford-upon-Avon Chamber Music Society, on Sunday 24 January at 3pm.  Highly recommended!