Cancelled due to pandemic restrictions
During her 68 years at the Collegio di Sant'Orsola in Novara, Isabella Leonarda composed over 200 works in twenty published volumes. Born into minor nobility in 1620, she entered the Orsoline convent at the age of 16, advancing to the position of Madre superior in 1686 and Madre vicaria in 1693. Her circa 100 solo motets, often set to texts which she apparently wrote herself, combine technical virtuosity with deeply personal religious emotion and offer a unique perspective on the theology and convent life of her era.
In spite of their high quality and virtuosity, most of her works remain widely unknown and relatively few have been recorded or published in modern editions. Julie Comparini highlights some of the works of this fascinating composer in this program, the CD recording of which will be released next year.
Julie Comparini, contralto
Rachel Harris und Wiebke Corßen, baroque violin
Jenny Westman, viola da gamba
Susanne Peuker, theorbo
Klaus Westermann, organ
Jörg Hitz, harpsichord
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