BFM3 Secret Byrd

Hear Byrd’s Mass for 5 Voices as he intended: sung for worship in strictest secrecy in an extraordinary theatrical concert to celebrate the 400th anniversary of one of England’s finest composers. During the Reformation, Byrd was a recusant Catholic writing masses to be sung in secret by worshippers in private homes with smuggled priests, hidden Catholic artifacts and the constant danger of discovery and arrest. Byrd’s courage in expressing his faith through art is a continuing inspiration, when three quarters of the world’s population still suffer from religious intolerance.

The Gesualdo Six collaborate with viol consort Fretwork for the first time in an immersive performance created and directed by Bill Barclay and produced by Concert Theatre Works using imaginative production techniques to bring music to life. Soup and bread are passed to foster a sense of ritual and inclusivity. The audience roves freely among the costumed artists feeling the original hand-made part-books. Help us celebrate Byrd’s activism by entering a living museum – a concert experience like never before.

“quietly transfixing”
The New Yorker on Secret Byrd 

“effortless perfection”
The Observer on Secret Byrd