The Queen's Closet is an early music ensemble based in Wellington, New Zealand. The ensemble was established by Gordon and Sharon Lehany in 2018, and specialises in 17th-century music and performance practices using period instruments and techniques to recreate the sound and spirit of early Baroque music. Their aim is to present early music in ways that follow the performance practices of the era in which it was composed, and make this music engaging for audiences. The group is a live performance ensemble and emphasises the social experience between the performers and their audience. Gordon Lehany is the artistic and musical director, and Sharon Lehany is the manager and producer.
The name chosen for the ensemble makes a link with the resurgence of colour and creativity following the 17th-century restoration of the English monarchy. The Queen's Closet is the name of a room in the 17th-century Ham House, near London. This room was redecorated during the restoration period, and illustrates the exuberance of the period.
The group uses reproductions of original instruments from the restoration period, and aims for performance practices that are representative of the era. Instruments include the natural trumpet, and the hoboy – a double reed woodwind instrument that is a predecessor of the modern oboe. The performances are supported by scholarship including the study of surviving instruments, and locating and interpreting sources from 300 to 400 years ago.
Their first concert, titled Restoration, was held in Wellington's City Gallery on 1 June 2019. A further concert, titled All The Pleasures, was held in Prefab Hall on 3 November 2019. The ensemble has also performed at Old Saint Paul's, St Andrew's on The Terrace, St Peter's on Willis Street, the Hannah Playhouse, the Public Trust Hall, at the CupaDupa festival, and as part of the Classical on Cuba events programme.
In November 2022, The Queen's Closet performed Cloverton: In Love & In Wine, a work that blended the music of Henry Purcell with a contemporary story written by Dave Armstrong especially for the performance. The work follows a tradition from the Restoration period of mixing spoken drama with operatic music.
In May 2024, Orchestra Wellington opened their 2024 season with a programme including The Queen's Closet performing works by Giovanni Pergolesi.
The Queen's Closet is supported by a charitable trust named QCT – a registered charity in New Zealand.
Recognition and awards The Queen's Closet received two nominations at the Fringe Festival Awards 2020, for Most Promising Emerging Company and Outstanding Ensemble Performance for their show, Quanto Dolce: Musick for the Passions. The ensemble received a further nomination at the 2022 Fringe Awards, for Outstanding Ensemble, for their performance of their own new edition of The Judgment of Paris.
List of performances All venues are in Wellington, unless stated otherwise.
Date Title/Event Venue Notes References 1 June 2019 Restoration City Gallery Wellington Inaugural public performance by The Queen's Closet 18 September 2019 Hutt City Lunchtime Concert Mt Mark's Wesley United Church, Lower Hutt 4 October 2019 Karori Classics St Mary's Anglican Church, Karori 5 November 2019 All the Pleasures Prefab Hall 8 March 2020 Quanto Dolce: Musick for the Passions Prefab Hall Part of NZ Fringe 2020. Nominated for Most Promising Emerging Company and Outstanding Ensemble Performance 1 August 2020 Masters of the Guild Old St Paul's By invitation - featured performance in the "Housewarming" to reopen Old St Paul's following earthquake strengthening 7 August 2020 I Tesori Wellington Cathedral of St Paul Part of the "TGIF" Friday lunchtime performance series 22 November 2020 Seraphic Flames and Heav'nly Love St Mary of the Angels With the Bach Choir of Wellington 14 March 2021 The Glory of Habsburg Prefab Hall Part of NZ Fringe 2021 28 March 2021 Gloria St Mary of the Angels With Nota Bene 11 August 2021 For the chapel or the table St Andrews on the Terrace Part of their lunchtime performance series 18 December 2021 Salvatoris! Christmas with The Queen's Closet Old St Paul's 20 February 2022 The Judgment of Paris Foxglove Ballroom Semi-staged production of a new edition created by The Queen's Closet. Part of NZ Fringe 2022. Nominated for Outstanding Ensemble 9 June 2022 Lunchtime at Old St Paul's Old St Paul's 23-24 July 2022 Decodance St James Theatre foyer Collaboration with Australian choreographer Chrissie Parrott. Part of Classical on Cuba 2022 24 July 2022 Seria O City Gallery, Adam Auditorium Part of Classical on Cuba 2022 25 November 2022 Cloverton: In Love and In Wine Te Auaha A new 'modern semi-opera' created by The Queen's Closet in collaboration with Dave Armstrong 24 February 2023 Echoes: Musicking across the centuries St Peter's on WillisPart of the Mahi Toi performance series 4-5 March 2023 Musicking with Several Friends Hannah Warehouse NZ Fringe 2023 4 March 2023 Dolcissima! (Concert 1 of "Musicking with several friends") Hannah Warehouse Part of NZ Fringe 2023 4 March 2023 (Restoration) Songs (Concert 2 of "Musicking with several friends") Hannah Warehouse Part of NZ Fringe 2023 5 March 2023 Alla Bastarda! (Concert 3 of "Musicking with several friends") Hannah Warehouse Part of NZ Fringe 2023 5 March 2023 Chvalte Boha (Concert 4 of "Musicking with several friends") Hannah Warehouse Part of NZ Fringe 2023 25-26 March 2023 DecodanceHannah Courtyard Part of CubaDupa 2023 25-26 March 2023 TrumpetWarsCuba Mall A new piece of street theatre created by The Queen's Closet for CubaDupa, staging live games of 'Battleship' via natural trumpet signalling 30 July 2023 The Judgment of Paris Hannah Playhouse Staged production of The Queen's Closet's new edition 2-3 September 2023 Furioso Te Auaha A cycle of three 'mini-opera's created by The Queen's Closet - short condensations of three operas based on Ludovico Ariosto's 16th century epic poem, Orlando Furioso. Part of Classical on Cuba 2023 15 October 2023 Harmonie Universelle Foxglove Ballroom 10 December 2023 Wassail! Old St Paul's 16 March 2024 QC@UC UC Arts Recital Room, University of Canterbury, Christchurch Collaboration with the University of Canterbury School of Music 24 March 2024 The Waits Band Cuba Mall Part of CubaDupa 2024 30 March 2024 Dolorosa St Peter's on Willis 4 May 2024 The Grand Gesture pre-concert performance Renouf Foyer, Michael Fowler Centre Collaboration with Orchestra Wellington Pre-concert performance opening Orchestra Wellington's 2024 subscription season 22 June 2024 Gala Ball — Party Like it's 1689 Foxglove Ballroom Including a collaboration with Royal New Zealand Ballet 6 September 2024 NZSM lunchtime recital Adam Concert Room, Victoria University of Wellington Part of Te Kōkī - New Zealand School of Music's lunchtime performance series 6 October 2024 Music Futures fundraiser St Anne's Church, Northland, Wellington By invitation - featured performance at the annual fundraising event of Music Futures charity 16 November 2024 A Glorious Day St Mary of the Angels With the Tudor Consort 8 December 2024 NZMS Conference - Musicology in practice - a case study Adam Concert Room, Victoria University of Wellington A performance-demonstration at Musicology Matters Today, the 2024 annual conference of the New Zealand Musicological Society 19 April 2025 Paschaltide St Peter's on Willis 31 May-1 June 2025 Dioclesian The Hunter Lounge, Victoria University of Wellington Semi-staged production with The Tudor Consort 2 August 2025 A Baroque Soirée Public Trust Hall Collaboration with Black & Gold venues. Part of Visa Wellington on a Plate 2025 10 August 2025 Bread and Circuses Fortune Favours A new sound installation commissioned by The Queen's Closet, composed by Luka Reardon. Part of Classical on Cuba 2025 25 October 2025 Gala Ball 2025 Public Trust Hall
References
External links
Interview - 28 May 2019 at RNZ Interview with Gordon and Sharon Lehany - 20 November 2022 at RNZ