Tonight sees the start of A Choral Odyssey, a new series of online programmes from The Sixteen, presented by actor Sir Simon Russell Beale.

Across five programmes, the series will take an in-depth look at a breadth of choral works in locations that are relevant to the music, ranging from Magdalen College, Oxford (from where today’s first episode comes) to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe. Russell Beale, in conversation with The Sixteen’s Founder & Conductor Harry Christophers, will discuss the socio-religious-political themes surrounding each composition, while Christophers will talk through each piece from a performance perspective.

Among the works featured on tonight's opening episode is Sheppard's Libera nos - you can watch The Sixteen perform the work below.

Released one per week on a Wednesday, all episodes will be available to watch on demand until January 31, 2021. The series will culminate in an ‘as live’ stream of The Sixteen’s Christmas at Cadogan concert on December 23.

A season ticket covering all five episodes plus the Cadogan Hall concert costs £50, while individual episodes can be watched for £10. For more details, visit The Sixteen’s website.