In 1895, Oscar Wilde, one of the great wits and personalities of the 19th century, was sent to prison for what was deemed the “gross indecency” of his sexuality. Taking inspiration from the ‘De Profundis’ (‘Out of the deep’) letter which Wilde wrote during his incarceration, we explored themes of love, isolation, and redemption in an absorbing journey of words and music. Poetry and prose from the 17th century to the modern day, including extracts from Wilde’s introspective masterpiece, were interspersed with solo songs by Henry Purcell and two deeply searching ‘De profundis’ psalm settings by Johann Sebastian Bach and Bohemian composer Jan Dismas Zelenka.

Narrated by Malcolm Sinclair, featuring vocal soloists Alexander Chance and Guy Cutting, conducted by Jonathan Darbourne and accompanied by The Vache Baroque Band.