Fin'Amor

Fin’ Amor (Songs from a Former Criminal) is a 50-minute song cycle for tenor and hurdy gurdy performed by Bud Roach, with music by Jeffrey Ryan and libretto/direction by James Fagan Tait. A contemporary reflection on Medieval chivalric love poetry, the work commemorates the 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada in 1969. By turns political, reflective, and slyly humorous, the piece extends the art song tradition through its unusual instrumentation and deeply personal perspective.

Created by three gay artists whose lives were shaped by criminalization and social stigma, Fin’ Amor gives voice to stories too often absent from the classical canon. Come hear this sonically unique, intergenerational reflection on queer Canadian history, resilience, and survival.