Murderous madrigalist: Death of Gesualdo a treat for eyes and ears

Markus Weinfurter and The Gesualdo Six in Death of Gesualdo

Imogen Frances and Taraash Mehrotra in Death of Gesualdo

Doria Bramante, David Tarkenter and The Gesualdo Six in Death of Gesualdo

The Gesualdo Six in Death of Gesualdo

By Mark Pullinger, 17 January 2026

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“a series of tableaux vivants lit as exquisitely as Caravaggio's paintings”

Reviewed at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London on 16 January 2026

Programme to include:

Gesualdo, Tenebrae Responsoria (excerpts)

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro sesto: O dolce mio tesoro

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro secondo: In più leggiadro velo

Gesualdo, Sacrae Cantiones: O Crux benedicta

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro primo: Tirsi morir volea

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro quinto: Itene, o miei sospiri

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro secondo: Hai rotto e sciolto e spento

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro quinto: Dolcissima mia vita

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro sesto: Beltà, poi che t'assenti

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro primo: Felice primavera

Monteverdi, Piagn'e sospira

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro quinto: Qual fora, donna, un dolce “Ohimè”

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, Libro terzo: Ahi, disperata vita

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro quinto: Languisce al fin chi da la vita parte

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, Libro terzo: Languisco e moro, ahi, cruda

Gesualdo, Madrigali a cinque voci, libro sesto: Moro, lasso, al mio duolo

Bill Barclay, Director, Lighting Designer

Arthur Oliver, Costume Designer

Will Tuckett, Choreography

Janni Younge, Puppet design

The Gesualdo Six

Owain Park, Bass, Director

James Guy, Countertenor

Alasdair Austin, Countertenor

Joseph Wicks, Tenor

Joshua Cooter, Tenor

Simon Grant, Baritone

Doria Bramante, Actor

Imogen Frances, Actor

Taraash Mehrotra, Actor

David Tarkenter, Actor

Markus Weinfurter, Actor

Siân Williams, Actor

The Wishing Tree: the Gesualdo Six at the Auckland Arts Festival

Simon Holden, 15th March

From the oppressed Catholic minority of 16th-century England to contemporary settings, The Gesualdo Six bring their Wishing Tree programme to Auckland.

****1

Joy, endurance, joining in: BBC Singers’ centenary at the Barbican

Eleanor Knight, 2nd October

After nearly axing the ensemble last year, the BBC celebrates 100 years of the BBC Singers with a rapturously received programme.

*****

Near perfect Bruckner from the Berlin Phil at the Proms

Rohan Shotton, 1st September

Kirill Petrenko conducts a magesterial account of Bruckner's Fifth Symphony after a trio of motets by the BBC Singers.

****1

Handsome performances from the BBC Singers at Kings Place

David Truslove, 9th February

Chant, Scottish culture and Judith Weir are the focus for this latest BBC Singers programme.

****1

The Wishing Tree: the Gesualdo Six at the Auckland Arts Festival

Simon Holden, 15th March

From the oppressed Catholic minority of 16th-century England to contemporary settings, The Gesualdo Six bring their Wishing Tree programme to Auckland.

****1

Autumnal vocal sparkle in Cambridge

Charlotte Valori, 22nd October

An exciting new partnership between Owain Park and Cambridge Chorale got off to a good start with a first concert of Bach and Parry.

***11

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.