Concert Theatre Works to Present Immersive Concert Experience SECRET BYRD at Salvage One

Concert Theatre Works will present the Chicago premiere of its popular touring production Secret Byrd. Secret Byrd invites audiences to step back in time to 16th century England and participate in a clandestine worship service where a group of Catholics gather in secret to maintain their religious practices despite the illegality of their faith. Showcasing  William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices sung by The Gesualdo Six – a British ensemble best known for its interpretation of Renaissance polyphony – and accompanied by local viol consorts ViolMedium and Second City Musick, the fully immersive, candlelit experience promises to engage all five senses. Audiences are invited to listen to the music, move through the space, interact with the historically-accurate props, and consume bread and wine during the communion portion of the mass. Secret Byrd will have four Chicago performances only, Sunday, July 20 and Monday, July 21 at 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM amidst the Salvage One architectural salvage store,  1840 W Hubbard St.
 
“With belief intolerance as present in today’s world as it was during Byrd’s lifetime, Byrd’s story and his defiant music are as relevant today as they were 400 years ago,” said Concert Theatre Works Artistic Director Bill Barclay. “Concert Theatre Works was last in Chicago in 2022 for our critically acclaimed production of The Chevalier produced in partnership with Music of the Baroque. We are excited to return to Chicago with our intimate and fully immersive production Secret Byrd at the unique Salvage One event space. More than just a concert, Secret Byrd transports audiences to Renaissance England and invites them to experience the transcendental power of Byrd’s music in the context it was originally written. Lovers of Renaissance polyphony will experience the music in an entirely new way, and audiences who aren’t yet early music fans will be drawn in through the experiential components of the event.”
 
English Renaissance composer William Byrd risked his career and his life by being an openly practicing Catholic during a period of intense persecution of Catholics by the government supported Anglican Church. He defied the laws of the time and composed music in the Catholic tradition while actively working as a prominent composer for the Queen and the Anglican Church. Bryd’s Mass for Five Voices was written to be sung at one of the private masses celebrated in secret by British Catholic communities during this era of persecution. Debuted in 2023 to mark the 400th anniversary of Byrd’s death, Secret Byrd recreates one of these secret services and has been performed in sold-out shows around the world. Secret Byrd is 80 minutes without an intermission.