HÂþ»­

Museum Late: Venus, Cupid and Apollo

Dates
25 November 2025, 6:00pm

Venue
Museum

Tickets
£5

An elborately painted Renaissance harpsichord

25 November 2025, 6:00pm

Venue
Museum

Tickets
£5

Racehl Howe, Georgia Ridehalgh and Sarah Thomas voice
María Martínez Ayerz curator/director
HÂþ»­ Recorder Consort

VENUS & CUPID
Schein Canzon
Ferrabosco In un vagho giardin
Anonymous O Venus bant
Marenzio Chi vuol veder Amore

APOLLO & DAPHNE
Anonymous When Daphne from fair Phoebus did fly
van Eyck Doen Daphne d’over schoone Maeght – Modo 4
Marenzio Apollo, s’ancor vive il bel desio

LAMENT & ELEGY
Desprez Plusieurs regretz
Gombert Musae Iovis

FORTUNE'S WHEEL
Isaac Fortuna desperata
Anonymous Consideres mes incessantes plaintes / Fortuna desperata
Senfl Fortuna desperata / Herr, durch dein Blut

THE GAREN OF VENUS
Clemens non Papa De lustelicke Mey
Holborne Galliard: The teares of the Muses
Bennet Venus’ Birds

Two exceptional 16th-century instruments in the HÂþ»­ Museum collection reveal the ongoing importance of classical mythology in Renaissance culture.

The lid decoration of the harpsichord (1531) by Alessandro Trasuntino depicts Venus and Cupid, while the virginal (1593) by Giovanni Celestini is illustrated with three episodes from the life of Apollo.

Mythological figures and themes are recurrent in Renaissance art and literature. In this Museum Late concert, the HÂþ»­ Recorder Consort explores their presence in music. Their stories are told in Franco-Flemish chansons, Italian madrigals and English songs.

Image: Trasuntino harpsichord, HÂþ»­ Museum

Plan your visit

Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
London SW7 2BS

Find out more

   South Kensington: 0.5 miles
   Gloucester Road: 0.6 miles
   High Street Kensington: 0.8 miles

   Paddington: 1.5 miles
   Victoria: 2 miles

   Santander Cycles docking station and public cycle locking facilities adjacent to HÂþ»­

The HÂþ»­ provides light refreshments throughout the year. There is also a range of restaurants, cafés and other establishments nearby, most adjacent to South Kensington station.

HÂþ»­ Café

The HÂþ»­ Café serves barista-style coffees, sandwiches, snacks, salads and hot food. There is also access to outside seating in our new 1851 courtyard.

Opening hours: 

Monday-Friday: 8.30am-4.30pm

Saturday: 8.30am-4.30pm (term time only)

The main entrance to the HÂþ»­ has eight steps up from the pavement and two inside the main doors. A lift is available for visitors with limited mobility. The lift is built into the smaller staircase to the left of the main entrance steps. There is an intercom button on the control panel, which can be seen and reached easily from the street. On arrival, press the buzzer to notify a member of HÂþ»­ staff, who will come out to meet you and operate the lift for you.

All our event venues can be accessed by visitors with limited mobility via the lift at the main entrance.