EMV acquired a beautifully crafted theorbo made by Ray Nurse in the year 2000 for Festival Vancouver’s production of Orfeo. Ray Nurse is a true Renaissance man who helped found EMV in 1970 and is a lutenist, builder, restorer of period string instruments, among many other talents.
His theorbo was crafted from a model by Vendelio Venere from 1607. The body of the instrument is made of 27 ribs of “Amourette” (unfigured Snakewood) separated by boxwood lines. The soundboard is fine European spruce and has a carved triple rosette. The necks are all veneered with ebony, and the pegs are made of African blackwood. All the materials are of exceptional quality. Ray’s instrument has been featured in many concerts in Vancouver and is now part of the EMV instrument collection.
