Mysterious muses

In the late 16th century, musical life at the court of Ferrara was one of the richest in Europe. A notable feature were the ‘Concerto delle donne’, where women performed music composed especially for them. By, for example, Luzzasco Luzzaschi, teacher of Frescobaldi. Duke Alfonso organised these concerts for his wife, who was a great lover of the arts, and only a select few were granted the privilege of attending. Because he did not give permission for the publication of the music, the story of these women remains underrepresented to this day. In France too, composers such as Antoine Boësset and Louis Nicolas Clérambault wrote works for women who remain anonymous in the annals of music history. In this program, Sébastien Daucé unlocks the treasure chest in which these jewels have been hidden for centuries to present these magnificent works to the public.