Four centuries after his death, The Musicians In Ordinary present melody in music and both harmony and discord in texts, as they celebrate Shakespeare (1564-1616) in the first of three special performances. In Shakespeare’s Lives of Girls & Women, Soprano Hallie Fishel, lutenist John Edwards and a violin band led by Christopher Verrette perform music of the Tudor & Stuart eras. Stratford actress Ruby Joy reads from Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew and more in the original pronunciation.

Deanne Williams (www.deannewilliams.com), author of Shakespeare and the Performance of Girlhood (2014) and co-editor of The Afterlife of Ophelia (Palgrave Macmillan), is special consultant for the series.

The series continues Saturdays, March 19 and April 23, 2016.

Tickets at the door: $30/$20 students and seniors.

For info, visit www.musiciansinordinary.ca or call 416-535-9956.