Ferrara and the Madrigal

For its second season concert, Tesserae explores the flowering of the madrigal in Ferrara at the end of the sixteenth century. Under the patronage of Duke Alfonso II, the Estense court became one of the musical gemstones of late Renaissance Europe. Its institutions included the famed concerto delle donne, the elite ensemble of female professional singers who performed at the renowned musica secreta (the court’s private music). In addition to court composers such as Luzzasco Luzzaschi (Frescobaldi’s teacher), many of the most highly-esteemed composers of the period—from Willaert to Gesualdo—had strong ties to the court. This program displays the rich musical tapestry of the city through the madrigal, accompanied by instrumental music that shows a flair for the experimental and the avant-garde.

Host or Publisher Tesserae Baroque