2026 BIGLAKE Festival: Medieval Songs - Impact Concert

Community Fundraiser Concert

Ensemble Comtessa Ellen Torrie, soprano / citole / tambourine / anglosaxon lyre Isabelle Douailly-Backman, vielle / tambourine / sinfonia

Ver • Spring Sumer is icumen Veri floris sub figura

Aestas • Summer Byrd on a brere Flur de virginité Flos convallis est egressus

Autumnus • Fall Mirie it is while sumer ilast Scribere proposui

Hiems • Winter Foweles in Þe frith Ar ne kuthe Encore El tens d’iver

Ensemble Comtessa presents Florilegium, a vibrant collection of medieval songs from the British Isles (1150–1300) that traces the lifecycle of a flower through the seasons. These timeless works reveal the enduring foundations of “classical” tradition — where folk melody, chant, and courtly song first intertwined. Blending Celtic, troubadour, and plainchant traditions.

Presented with authentic medieval performance practices and period instruments, this program brings a richly layered musical culture shaped by centuries of cultural exchange to life.

With every ticket sold, BIGLAKE will donate 50% to Prince Edward Point Observatory (PEPtBO), a local charity that helps protect birds and other wildlife and their habitats on the South Shore through research, advocacy, and education.

Note: There is no intermission and the ticket fee includes a $25 charitable tax receipt.