I  Concerto delle Donne:
the secret choir of women virtuoso singers at the court of Ferrara

Music of Luzzasco Luzzaschi, Luca Marenzio, Claudio Monteverdi and Barbara Strozzi

Sophie Junker and Sherezade Panthaki, soprano
Elizabeth Blumenstock and Alana Youssefian, baroque violin
Elisabeth Reed, viola da gamba
Hanneke van Proosdij, recorder, harpsichord and organ
David Tayler, archlute and baroque guitar

Join us for a concert of virtuoso Italian vocal Music of the Late Renaissance and Early Baroque.

The Concerto delle Donne was created as part of the musica secreta (private court music) of Ferrara in the years just following the marriage of Alfonso II d’Este and Margherita Gonzaga in 1579. Many prominent composers in Italy—among them Luzzasco Luzzaschi, and Luca Marenzio—wrote works for these Ferrarese concerts. Duke Alfonso engaged notable poets to write the texts, including Torquato Tasso.
Word of the incredible virtuosity and secret repertory sung by the Concerto delle Donne spread rapidly across Europe, and soon other female ensembles were created in Mantua and Florence.

Award winning Belgian soprano Sophie Junker and Bay Area favorite Sherezade Panthaki make their debut with Voices of Music.

This concert is part of our Women in Music project

Friday, October 11, 8pm, Palo Alto
First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto

Saturday, October 12, 8pm, San Francisco
St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 1111 O'Farrell Street (at Franklin) San Francisco

Sunday, October 13, 5:00pm, Berkeley
St. Mary Magdalen Church, 2005 Berryman (at Henry) Berkeley

Please note that the Palo Alto concert is on Friday, October 11 at First United Methodist Church and that all Berkeley concerts begin at 5:00 PM.