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Sounds and Sweet Airs

  • St. Paul's Church of Nantucket 20 Fair Street Nantucket, MA, 02554 United States (map)

Inspired by Caliban’s iconic soliloquy from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, this unique concert invites you to immerse yourself in the sounds and sweet airs of our island, where music mirrors the beauty, violence, and dream-like qualities of the natural world. The first half transports us to England, featuring the evocative music of Baroque master Henry Purcell and selections from Thomas Adès' contemporary opera based on The Tempest, both of which capture the ethereal and tempestuous spirit of Shakespeare's play.

In the second half, we journey to nature itself, with works that evoke its primal power and pastoral beauty. Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Quintette em forma de chôros channels the raw energy of nature through its primitivist style, while Robert Schumann’s Waldszenen (Scenes from the Forest) offers a whimsical, almost dream-like exploration of the forest’s quiet beauty. Together, these pieces reflect the paradox of humanity’s relationship with nature: both a part of it and yet distanced from it, caught in a world where both violence and tranquility coexist.

This concert celebrates the love of music, nature, and the dream-like qualities that weave them together into a seamless, transcendent experience.

Earlier Event: August 29
The Heart of the Matter
Later Event: August 31
The Heart of the Matter