Tactus SF presents a concert of Renaissance Choral Music

Don't miss Tactus SF's upcoming program, "Orpheus with his Lute," an evening of Renaissance music about love's joys and tribulations.

As the final program in Tactus SF's Tenth Anniversary season, the Bay Area choir presents secular songs ranging from pastoral madrigals to earthy warnings about the dangers of love, from John Dowland's sweet and bluesy love songs to Josquin's chirpy homage to the cricket who "sings just for the love of it." 

Like the songs of the mythic singer Orpheus, these are songs about love, beauty, nature, and the struggles of human life. Included are madrigals in Italian, settings of popular songs in Spanish and German, and English songs by Dowland—the quadricentennial of whose death is being commemorated in 2026 across the world.

The hour-long program, conducted by Music Director Sven Edward Olbash, features a capella performances by the full 21-voice choir as well as small-group renditions.

The program will be presented twice: on Friday, June 5, at 7 pm at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, and on Sunday, June 7, at 7 pm at the Kanbar Performing Arts Center, 44 Page Street, San Francisco. Both performances are part of the fringe offerings at the San Francisco Early Music Society's biennial Berkeley Early Music Festival and Exhibition.

Reserve your tickets now at Eventbrite for Tactus SF's "Orpheus with his Lute." And join us afterward for a reception to meet the singers!