Artists: Nadine Balbeisi, Myriam Leblanc, Jane Long, Ellen Torrie, Lieselot de Wilde, sopranos Liz Hamel, Emma Parkinson, Vicki St-Pierre, Krisztina Szabo, altos with members of Elektra Women’s Choir and the EMV Festival Players, directed. by Alexander Weimann

Festival Players: Chloe Meyers, violin 1; Christi Meyers, violin 2; Margaret Little, viola da gamba; Erin Headley, lirone and viola da gamba; Natalie Mackie, violone; Matthew Jennejohn, cornetto; Ellen Marple, sackbutt; Alex Fisher, sackbutt; Jeremy Berkman, sackbutt; Lucas Harris, theorbo; Antoine Malette-Chénier, triple harp; & Alexander Weimann, music director, keyboard

During the 17th century, women composers were most often either nuns educated in convents or the daughters of musical families such as Florence’s Caccini clan. The works presented in this concert come from both the secular and sacred worlds of 17th-century Italy, written for celebration in the cloister and private devotion in the home. This music abounds with all the inventiveness, refinement, and energy of the age of Monteverdi.

“Being active in the so called ‘Early Music’ field means to me the never-ending process of learning something new – be it instruments, performance practice, history, styles and genres, but first of all composers which I had no idea about. A fruit of this continuous exploration over many years has been a list of women composers making it to the top of my to-be-performed-asap agenda. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity of this Summer Festival in honour of women, and the sweet occasion to put together a somewhat encyclopedic panorama of female composers in the 1600’s. I chose the form of solemn Vespers for Mary, and all female saints, not unlike Monteverdi’s legendary collection in 1610. This is very much a programme from my heart and I can’t wait to start rehearsals,” Alexander Weimann.

This concert is generously sponsored by Agnes Hohn