On January 20, Cappella Records is proud to present its 30th release: A Byzantine Emperor at King Henry’s Court: Christmas 1400, London, performed by Cappella Romana and led by founder and music director Alexander Lingas.

In support of the release, the ensemble will perform the program as part of its Northwest concert series in Seattle and Portland, January 20-22 2023 – the first live performances of some of this music in centuries.

Alexander Lingas’ discovery of never-before recorded works for Christmas, illuminated by the latest research on historically informed performance of medieval Byzantine chant, brings to listeners everywhere the experience of musical worlds colliding against the backdrop of international politics and war. Go back in time to 1400, when Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, seeking foreign aid for besieged Constantinople, spent Christmas at the court of English King Henry IV.

Under Alexander Lingas’ direction, the same men and women of Cappella Romana who brought you the Lost Voices of Hagia Sophia bestseller (44 weeks on Billboard) bring to life medieval Byzantine and Sarum chant and royal ceremonial performed by two very different historic choirs, one singing in Greek and the other in Latin, as they celebrated the feast of Christmas at London’s Eltham Palace.

A Byzantine Emperor at King Henry’s Court is the fourth Cappella Records release in a row this season produced by multi-GRAMMY® Award winner Blanton Alspaugh and the engineering team at Soundmirror. Soundmirror’s outstanding orchestral, solo, opera, and chamber recordings have earned more than 100 GRAMMY® nominations and awards, with releases on every major classical label.

A Byzantine Emperor at King Henry’s Court is available on a Hybrid CD/SACD in 2.0 stereo and 5.0 surround sound (DSM192K/24bit), recorded in DSD and downloadable to audio servers and devices. The accompanying 36-page booklet provides an extensive essay and bibliography, manuscript facsimile and complete biographies of all singers.