Programmes

Dialogues With Heaven:
Life and death in a Milanese convent

Music
Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Caterina Assandra, Rosa Giacinta Badalla and Claudio Monteverdi

Fee range
£2,500 to £3,200

Performing forces
4 singers, organ, chitarrone and/or harp
Celestial Sirens female voice choir (optional)
Reader

Description

This concert takes the form of music and dramatic readings telling of events within several Milanese convents during the turbulant and violent years of the early 17th century. Hair raising stories include murder, scandal, the forced monastic enclosure of thousands of young girls and, of course, the dreadful plague of 1620 - as related by Alessandro Manzoni in I promessi sposi, the most popular historical novel in the Italian language.

The convent of Santa Radagonda in Milan produced two significant composers. The first, Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, has emerged as a major figure in her own right and is gaining a recognition that extends far beyond her significance as a nun or woman composer. She achieved such fame in her day that several collections of her music were published in Venice, and some of her music even ended up in the missions of the New World. Apart from her spectacular eight-part part Vespers, she produced several extensive works for one to five voices with basso continuo, including several dramatic dialogues, forerunners of the oratorio.

Santa Radagonda's other composing nun, Rosa Giacinta Badalla, specialised in dazzling solo songs and must have herself been a very gifted singer.

Turning to more familiar composers, many of Monteverdi's most dramatic madrigals were arranged with sacred Latin texts by Aquilino Coppini and dedicated to the bishop of Milan, Federigo Borromeo. He warmly encouraged nuns' music and very probably would have introduced these "madrigals made sacred" to his cloistered charges. Musica Secreta arrange these madrigals in much the same way as the nuns would have done, for female voices and basso continuo.

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Listen to music

Chiara Margarita Cozzolani: O caeli cives

Claudio Monteverdi/Coppini: O Jesu mia vita

Fees are quoted exclusive of travel and accommodation, where applicable. All concert/production costs, including organ hire where necessary, to be met by the promoter.