As Shakespeare’s First Folio comes to Elizabethtown College, a long list of other events related to Shakespeare and his influence on the arts are taking place across campus. One such event, entitled If Music Be the Food of Love: Songs from the Plays and Sonnets of William Shakespeare, was recently hosted by the music department.

Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. in Zug Recital Hall, students from the music department and from musical groups on campus sang adaptations of his songs and sonnets. Among the 15 songs presented at the performance were identifiable pieces, including a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18” commonly recognized by its line, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Other pieces within the performance included excerpts from highly recognizable works, such as “Twelfth Night” and “Romeo and Juliet.” Side-by-side with these were a couple excerpts from less recognizable pieces, such as “Measure for Measure.”

Sophomore Jacqueline Carroll said she thinks the pieces chosen, generally, are recognizable to students and the general public.

Most of the performances were solo pieces; only three were ensembles. According to Carroll, the solos were assigned to students by their voice professors. Carroll performed a solo and also sang in the Women’s Choir ensemble.

Carroll said she, along with all the other performers, auditioned in October for the ability to be a part of this event. She mentioned that there are many opportunities for music majors to perform in a variety of events, but that this was her first solo performance.

“I thought the Shakespeare concert was a really interesting, unique event that we were never going to have again,” Carroll said. “So I thought why not try and see what happens, and it just happened to work out.”