Mrs Cornelys' scandalous salon

Mrs Cornelys' Entertainments. Under that remarkable title, baroque company presented New Dutch Academy a concert in a theatrical setting. The Hague's Korzo Theatre turned into a society evening. Visiting a much-discussed lady from 18th-century London. It was a feast for the eyes and ears.

New Dutch Academy has a changing line-up in addition to some permanent members. Apart from playing, the Academy - as the name suggests - also engages in research. Research into the music of the 18th century, the great passion of conductor and viola player Simon Murphy. Australian Murphy founded the company in 2002 and leads it with unprecedented enthusiasm, but not always with equal business acumen. After a successful start, in which NDA, among other things, resurrected the symphony culture at the former Hague court, the orchestra found itself in dire straits. After the removal of subsidies and due to declining ticket sales, NDA gave only a few public concerts a year. In the diplomatic world, NDA always continued to do well: the company toured China and Turkey with government institutions and even performed for the royal family.

Sex and 18th century rock 'n' roll

After that time of survival, New Dutch Academy seems poised for revenge since this year. Its programmes are still small-scale but of a very high quality. In Mrs Cornelys' Entertainments we see renewed experimentation. This time Murphy wants to show what a rowdy evening in the highest circles was like in the 18th century. The scene is the home of the scandalous Mrs Cornelys, singer and actress from Venice, who hosted high-ranking guests in her London Carlisle House for music, dancing, food and drink, gambling and sex games. Among those guests were prominent figures like Lord Sandwich (inventor of... right) but also painter Gainsborough, designer Chippendale and composers Abel and J.C. Bach. NDA, once hailed by magazine Listen as 18th-century rock 'n'roll, now promises real 18th-century variety.

Upon entering, we discern on the dimly lit stage a dark company of masked men and women, some with period musical instruments. They are soon joined by baroque dancer Karin Modigh as Mrs Cornelys and soprano Gudrun Sidonie Otto as the famous singer Nancy Storace.

Baroque dance

The theatre performance picks up very well, fresh and playful. Modigh is an equally charming and provocative Mrs Cornelys, constantly dressing up in new exciting outfits, sometimes as a visible silhouette behind an illuminated folding screen. Baroque dance is something not seen much in theatres. Caroline Copeland's choreography offers a multifaceted glimpse into this world of dance.

Also a find is Otto, who has sung with NDA before, with her pearly voice and brilliant facial expressions. At lightning speed, she switches between angry, delighted, shy, mischievous and worried. The latter she does when the other guests seem to start behaving all too unseemly, Simon Murphy leading the way in his role as Lord Sandwich. NDA, meanwhile, plays and improvises away with works by late Baroque and early classical composers, as well as Mozart, Handel and Gluck, and lesser-known ones like Earl and Boyce. From Thomas Arne we hear quite surprisingly Rule Brittannia.

It remains strange that such a young and begeist company is still finding it so difficult to attract larger audiences. The first performance was by no means full. Perhaps the entrance fee of 30 euros plays a role, although students can enter for 10 euros. It is to be hoped that New Dutch Academy will find financial opportunities in the near future to perform more often for a sizeable audience. Mrs Cornelys' Entertainments proves they deserve it.

Seen: Korzo Theatre, 22 November; still to be seen: Korzo Theatre, 23 November