Structured in five musical “chapters” and threaded with spoken excerpts from the original libretto, the program traces the arc of the myth: the couple’s blossoming romance, Mars’s jealous campaign to destroy it, and the lovers’ tragic end. The result is a seamless curation of Baroque repertoire spanning Europe and Latin America, weighted toward Spanish and Latin American composers and works inspired by the Venus and Adonis legend — among them Torrejón y Velasco, Roque Jacinto de Chavarría, Juan de Araujo, Handel, John Blow, and Alessandro Scarlatti.

It’s a signature example of Relic’s narrative-driven programming, the approach that has built the ensemble’s growing national reputation since its founding in 2022 — uniting historical insight with theatrical, emotionally direct storytelling for audiences new to early music and longtime devotees alike.

Venue: Instituto Cervantes of Chicago

31 W. Ohio Street, Chicago, IL 60654

Getting there: The venue sits between State and Dearborn Streets in River North, a few blocks from the CTA Red Line’s Grand station (State & Grand), with additional Red/Blue Line access at Chicago and Clark/Lake.

Parking: The garage directly aross the street offers $10 validated parking. Vehicle entrance on Ohio Street; paystation and pedestrian entry on Ontario Street.