Night Music presents Alfred: A Masque for Philadelphia
Schedule
Thu May 21 2026 at 07:30 pm to 08:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
University Lutheran Church | Philadelphia, PA
Night Music, under the direction of Heather Miller Lardin and Steven Zohn, presents Alfred: A Masque for Philadelphia, a concert performance inspired by one of the earliest large-scale musical dramas staged in the American colonies. The performance will take place on Thursday, May 21 at University Lutheran Church (3637 Chestnut Street), beginning at 7:30 PM.
In 1757, students at the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) mounted Alfred: A Masque. Composed by Thomas Augustine Arne (1710–78), this musical theater piece included the first appearance of the famous tune “Rule, Britannia!” The production drew wide attention across the colonies and in London, and was attended by prominent political and military figures, possibly including George Washington. At a moment shaped by the French and Indian War, the work expressed both British patriotism and a growing sense of colonial identity.
Night Music’s newly shaped adaptation blends elements of the 1757 Philadelphia production with Arne’s original structure, presented in an oratorio-style format without staging. Performed with one-to-a-part strings and a cast of leading Baroque specialists, Alfred: A Masque for Philadelphia offers a glimpse of mid-18th-century musical life in Philadelphia and its connection to broader cultural and political developments.
This performance is presented as part of Tempesta di Mare’s “Soundtrack of Independence” project.
Soloists:
Soprano: Jessica Beebe, Rebecca Myers
Alto: Meg Bragle
Tenor: James Reese, Jeffrey Thompson
University Lutheran Church, located in University City, serves a broad academic community including students from the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Temple University, and other institutions, echoing the collegiate origins of the 1757 performance.
Tickets and Information:
Tickets: Pay what you wish: suggested donation $30; premium seats suggested donation $50
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/night-music-presents-alfred-a-masque-tickets-1983585617980?aff=oddtdtcreator#location
About Night Music
Night Music is a Philadelphia-based period instrument ensemble co-directed by Heather Miller Lardin and Steven Zohn and dedicated to performing music of the Revolutionary era, roughly 1760 to 1825. Night Music’s artists are among the country's leading historical performance specialists.
Where is it happening?
University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United StatesUSD 0.00
