Arriving at the gorgeously restored Glebe Town Hall  for a performance by the Castalia Vocal Consort, one could have been forgiven for thinking they’d stepped back in time and found themselves in a BBC costume drama. Were we to experience one of Dudley’s extravaganzas at Kenilworth Castle in 1575, or a soirée in a Jacobean home? The grand interiors and main hall of the Victorian Free Classical structure designed by Ambrose Thornley Jnr provided a setting that landed somewhere between the Elizabethan court and the private estates and homes, which once hosted the clandestine performances of Catholic composers Robert White and William Byrd.

Castalia Vocal Consort

Under Cover of Darkness, Castalia Vocal Consort. Photo supplied

Under the artistic leadership of soprano Amy Moore and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Dillon, Castalia Vocal Consort can pride itself on keeping the Renaissance and Baroque consort repertoire alive in a modern context. Moore and Dillon are joined in their efforts by soprano Chloe Lankshear, tenors Christopher Watson and Louis Hurley, and basses Philip Murray and Tom Flint. All are virtuoso performers known for their work with local ensembles including Pinchgut Opera, The Song Company, Cantillation and Bach Akademie...