Which composer and poet of 16th century Italy has not been inspired by Petrarch’s Canzoniere?

The main theme in these Petrarchan sonnets is the poet’s love for a sublime figure, who both inspires and torments the poet. In our concert program we unveil how behind these allegorical figures lived women of flesh and blood: talented female musicians, who through their high-level musical performances, inspired composers and poets alike.

Guided by the life recount of perhaps the most important female musician of her generation Tarquinia Molza (1542-1617), we explore the web of female musicians, who were active in courts and cities of Northern Italy throughout the second half of the 16th century.