Midsummer’s Music Announces “A Renaissance Christmas”

Midsummer’s Music is pleased to announce the sixth anniversary season of its Renaissance Christmas program. The concert will feature the Chicago Early Music Consort, and will take place the weekend of December 11 – 13.

The Consort’s artistic director, Gary Berkenstock, has focused this season’s program around the 12 days of Christmas – the period between the birth of Christ (Christmas, December 25) and the coming of the Magi (Epiphany, January 6). In Renaissance Europe, this period was a time for both religious introspection and unbridled merrymaking.

“The first half of the program will tell the Christmas story through the joyous carols and songs of the time, while in the second half, there will be songs and dances depicting the fun, feasting and frivolity associated with this time of year,” Berkenstock says.

Consistent with this year’s theme, the popular song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” will be performed. This song celebrates the Christmas season with imagery of gifts and dancing and music and was first printed in the 1780 children’s book Mirth Without Mischief. Also being introduced this year is the song “In Those Twelve Days.” This song dates to at least 1625 and assigns religious meanings to each of the days.

The concert series opens on Friday, December 11 at Bjorklunden in Baileys Harbor. The event includes a reception, which begins at 5 pm, a dinner catered by Alexander’s at 5:45 pm, and the concert to follow at 7 pm at a cost of just $60 per person. Advance reservations are required for this event.

The other concerts will have a new surprise this year – a post-concert reception, which gives the community an opportunity to meet the musicians and learn more about the instruments.

The concert on Saturday, December 12 will be held at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church at 7 pm, and the concert on Sunday, December 13 will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Ephraim at 2 pm. Tickets for both of these concerts are $20 per adult, with youth 17 and under fee. Advance reservations are recommended, although tickets will be available at the door for the two concerts.

For tickets or more information, call 920.854.7088.