Alice Blankenship and her microphilharmonic Baroque ensemble on period instruments turn their attention this year to Henry Purcell and the English Baroque music of the 17th century as it was influenced by German, Italian and French music of the period. "Composers", writes Alice, "such as Anthony Holborne, William Lawes, John Dowland, Christopher Gibbons and John Playford will lead us – through fantasia, galliard, pavan and divisions – to the familiar and celebrated voice of Henry Purcell. The culminating work will be a suite of music from Henry Purcell's The Fairie Queen (1692). This semi-opera was Purcell's homage to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and takes its name from the character of Titania, the Queen of the Fairies. We will be playing the first instrumental suite, which includes lovely dances and airs."