Sonata sesta, Isabella Leonarda (1620–1704)

Italian Sirens

Sunday, November 12, 2017 at 6pm

Zilkha Hall | Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Houston, Tx

At prominent Italian courts and in forward-looking cities like Venice, the decades around 1600 saw a remarkable flowering of female musical talent—virtuoso singers especially—who took advantage of new opportunities for professional musicians. Italian Sirens is devoted to these unique voices, as realized in the work of three remarkable early 17th-century composers: Isabella Leonarda, Francesca Caccini, and Barbara Strozzi.

This musical tricolore spotlights a trio of exceptional Houston singers in the company of a colorful continuo band of violins, cello, Baroque harp, theorbo, and harpsichord.


A R T I S T I C P E R S O N N E L

Matthew Dirst, Artistic Director, conductor, harpisichord, organ
Sydney Anderson, soprano
Alexandra Smither, soprano
Cecilia Duarte, mezzo-soprano

Kurt Johnson & Stephanie Raby, Baroque violin
Barrett Sills, cello
Michael Leopold, theorbo & Baroque guitar
Jesus Pacheco, percussion

©Ars Lyrica Houston 2017 | www.arslyricahouston.org

Video and Audio produced by Runaway Productions LLC