The four women of Infusion Baroque brought wonderment and joy to a rapt audience of 100+ with the performance and discussion of their signature program “Virtuosa.” Played on historically accurate instruments of the period – flute, violin, cello, and harpsichord – Virtuosa highlights women musicians of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Featured composers included Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677), Anna Bon (1738-1769), Wilhelmine von Bayreuth (1709-1758), Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen (1745-1818), Élizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729).
The extraordinary program is the result of several years of research and development, and indeed, the scholarly efforts of Infusion Baroque have yielded enough riches to create several more similarly fascinating programs. The afternoon led off with an informal pre-concert chat with the artists sitting casually on the edge of the stage, discussing various reasons why extraordinary women musicians – performers and composers alike – have been omitted from concert programs, history books, and educational curricula. It was an engaging conversation that continues to be relevant even in the present.
