Musical Masterworks Explores The Sacred and the Profane in a Powerful March Program March 14 & 15, 2026 | Old Lyme

Musical Masterworks presents The Sacred and the Profane, a striking chamber music program led by Artistic Director Tessa Lark, on Saturday, March 14 at 5:00pm and Sunday, March 15 at 3:00pm at the First Congregational Church in Old Lyme. Pre-concert talks with the artists will be featured 45 minutes prior to each performance.

The program traces a compelling arc across centuries, exploring the tension between devotion and desire, ritual and rebellion, light and darkness. Joining Lark are harpist Bridget Kibbey, violinist Chad Hoopes, violist Matthew Lipman, and cellist Mihai Marica, an ensemble renowned for both virtuosity and deep musical rapport.

Highlights include Debussy’s luminous Danses sacrée et profane, Bach’s iconic Toccata and Fugue in D minor in a riveting arrangement for solo harp, Britten’s introspective Lachrymae, and John Dowland’s timeless lament Flow My Tears. The program also features works by Henriette Renié and Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, alongside Bridget Kibbey’s own Bards and Griots.

The concert concludes with André Caplet’s The Mask of the Red Death, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, bringing dramatic intensity and theatrical color to a program that invites listeners to confront music’s most profound emotional contrasts.

Musical Masterworks continues its tradition of presenting world-class chamber music in an intimate setting that fosters connection between artists and audience.

Musical Masterworks 35^th season runs from October 2025 – April 2026 at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme at 4 Lyme Street.  To purchase individual tickets ($45 each) or student tickets ($5 each), visit Musical Masterworks at www.musicalmasterworks.org or email admin@musicalmasterworks.org.