To take this vast repertory, with its pure, contrasting tones, and present it in contemporary terms requires musicians to balance respect for historic sources with the creative inspiration that fuels performance. From the beginning, Ensemble Anonymus has distinguished itself by its original way of exploring the theatrical settings and characters of medieval music. Conveying the musical authenticity of the period through the rustic simplicity of the common people, the refinement of the nobility and the austere solemnity of the clergy, the group has come to be recognized for the qualities that characterize its musical production: subtle atmospheres, stylistic rigour and remarkable creativity. This approach creates a bridge spanning the centuries between modern performers and their medieval counterparts and perpetuates the great and enduring musical heritage of the Middle Ages.

Over the years, Ensemble Anonymus has created many original theme-based programs, each touching on different aspects of secular and religious life in the Middle Ages. Concerts such as Musica Mundi, Inventio, Rue des jugleors, Adventus, Llibre Vermell, Le Monde des goliards, and Noël, Paris, Notre-Dame have been produced frequently in concert halls and, in many cases, broadcast on national radio by the CBC. Shows like Li Jus de Robin et Marion and O Fortuna, blending medieval music and texts with theatrical art, have been applauded by the public and by critics both in North America and Europe.

The ensemble is regularly invited to perform in international festivals such as the Berkeley Early Music Festival in California, the Encuentro International de Musica Antigua in Mexico City and the Dieppe Early Music Festival in France. This recognition attests to the group’s exceptional musical accomplishments and endlessly renewed artistic energy.

Anonymus is supported by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, by the Canada Council for the Arts, by the Bureau des arts et de la culture de la Ville de Québec and by the Fonds de stabilisation et de consolidation des arts et de la culture du Québec.