2026 Festival

MEDIEVAL SONGS | IMPACT CONCERT

Community Fundraiser Concert

Sat Aug 29
11am-12pm, no intermission 
$50 ($25 charitable tax receipt)

The Andrew

31 King St, Picton

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.