Described as "pure vocal beauty" by Classic FM, Fair Oriana are a soprano duo known for the purity of their voices and trade-mark blend.

Made up of Penelope Appleyard and Angela Hicks, they will be performing in Bridport this week as part of the Concerts in the West series.

they specialise in singing historical repertoire and, in collaboration with regular teams of instrumentalists, perform chamber concerts with a hint of theatre.

Their debut album 'Two Voices' was released in 2021 with VOCES8 Records; three of the tracks being featured in Spotify's New Classical Releases playlists, and the accompanying video of Handel's 'Eternal Source of Light Divine' posted online by Classic FM in their 'Hall of Fame'.

They perform their chamber programmes in concert series around the UK and internationally, including the Three Choirs Festival and the Ryedale Festival. They have appeared on Women's Radio station's Future Classic Women Awards, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Norfolk and are played regularly on Ancient FM.

For their concerts in Bridport and neighbouring towns, Fair Oriana will be accompanied by Sam Brown, "the Eric Clapton of the lute" and one of the top cordophonists of his generation, known for his imaginative and sensitive style.

Sam has performed internationally as a solo and ensemble player, including at Vienna's Konzerthaus and Wigmore Hall. He has also lectured widely and played for TV, radio and theatre.

Chamber musician Harry Buckoke will complete the lineup. He has appeared on BBC Radio 3, at the London Festival of Baroque Music, Brighton Early Music Festival, Beverly Early Music Festival, the NCEM, St Georges Bristol, St Georges Hanover Square, and St John's Smith Square.

He co-manages the Ensemble Lux Musicae London, and is a doctorate PhD candidate at the Orpheus Institute.

Their programme named 'The Trials and Triumphs of Oriana' is intimate yet theatrical. It centres around Thomas Morley's madrigal collection of 1601, 'The Triumphs of Oriana' uniquely arranged here for two voices with instrumental accompaniment.

The programme features three of these 'Triumphs' to represent the glorious public face of the Queen, but pitches these against the stark contrast of her private persona, her 'Trials', which are represented by lute songs and more internalised, emotional music.

The music will take the audience on a journey, exploring the public and private sides to Queen Elizabeth, the performers moving between three areas of the stage: a concert platform for the Triumphs, a domestic setting for the Trials, and a 'throne', reserved for the items that use Queen Elizabeth's own words. All this is achieved using only a series of chairs, meaning it is easily achievable, and adaptable.

The programme celebrates the works of John Dowland in particular, while also introducing a brand new psalm setting and contemporary lute song by composer Fraser Wilson, that sets Elizabeth's own words to music and explores jazz as well as historical influences.

The concert will be held at Bridport Arts Centre on Friday, July 7 at 11.30am over coffee and tickets can be purchased online at https://tickets.concertsinthewest.org/

Further concerts will be held on Friday, July 7 from 7.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, and on Saturday, July 8 at 7.30pm at The Dance House in Crewkerne.