Zachary Donaldson, a Bay Area native, brings you on a tour of the lute in renaissance Europe. His program features musical snapshots from four different regions: Spain, Italy, France, and England. Not only will you hear the changes in style from different places, but also an evolution through time as he explores music from both the early and late renaissance. This includes works by the free-flowing improvisatory style of 16th century Spanish composer Luís Milán, the learned contrapuntal music of the famed 16th century Italian lutenist Francesco da Milano, the brilliant and innovative compositions of early 17th century English composer John Dowland, and the fiery and stunning toccatas of early 17th century Italian composers such as Alessandro Piccinini and Giovanni Kapsberger, played on the theorbo, a large bass lute. The program contains hidden gems not often performed, and well-known favorites such as John Dowland’s Forlorne Hope and Josquin des Prez’s Mille Regretz. The music is framed in suites of fantasies, historical transcriptions of vocal music, and dances that cast familiar pieces in a new light and showcase lesser-known works.