Seville as the sole port for the riches of the New World, flourished in the 16th century with its cathedrals attracting the finest composers and musicians, and its publishing houses printing many of the masterpieces of Spanish music. La Compañia, Australia's premiere Renaissance instrument ensemble, presents a program of tender love songs and lively dance tunes from this time, exploring the music of Francisco Guerrero, Alonso Mudarra, Juan Vásques and Miguel de Fuenllana.

The Florentine Calendimaggio, or May carnival, during the rule of the Medici's was an elaborate outdoor festival celebrating spring. All classes of Florentines gathered in the streets, they participated in processions and were entertained by masked performers parading through the streets singing and dancing the 'canzoni da ballo' (dancing songs). Join La Compañia in rediscovering these exciting and lively Carnival songs from 16th-Century Florence.

The Parisian chansons that entertained the French bourgeoisie flourished in the 16th century reaching new heights in popularity throughout Europe. These Chanson nouvelles were highly varied in character and included some of the most popular tunes of the time.

La Compañia, Australia’s premiere Renaissance ensemble, performs a program of courtly love songs and lively dance tunes from 16th century France, with vocal music by Claudin de Sermisy and Pierre Sandrin amongst others, as well as instrumental pavanes, gaillardes, basses-danses and bransles by Claude Gervaise and Pierre Attaingnant

Albert V, Duke of Bavaria, a lavish patron of the arts, established his court as a significant cultural hub north of the Alps. Attracting the finest international talents, the renowned composer Orlande de Lassus was appointed maestro di cappella and headed an impressive instrumental and vocal force. Join La Compañia, Australia’s premier renaissance band in exploring music from the splendid 16th century Munich court, featuring an ensemble of cornetto, shawm, dulcians, sackbuts, percussion, lute and voice.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of one of the grand masterpieces of all Western music. Monteverdi's Vespers (1610) is both a rapturous celebration of the sonic power and pageantry of High Renaissance Venice, and a stunning declaration of the birth of a new musical age - the Baroque. The Consort of Melbourne, and period instrumental ensemble La Compañia, perform the Vespers for the first time midst the glorious visual and acoustical surrounds of Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. An unmissable musical event.

The Consort of Melbourne concludes its 2010 concert series with a Christmas programme without the familiar carols. Instead, it recreates the musical and acoustic world of a sixteenth-century Italian chapel, featuring at its heart Palestrina’s profoundly beautiful Missa ‘Hodie Christus natus est’. Once again, the Consort collaborates with renowned renaissance instrumental ensemble La Compañia to create a magnificent ‘sound picture’ of the pomp and majesty of a high renaissance mass in praise of the birth of Christ.