The Ladies’ Secret Concert

At the end of the 16th century, musical life at the court of Duke Alfonso II Ferrara was one of the richest in Europe. Three women, Laura Peperara, Anna Guarini and Livia d’Arco, performed music composed especially for them by Luzzascho Luzzaschi, Frescobaldi’s teacher, and which would inspire famous composers such as Gesualdo. They each play an instrument to accompany their voice: spinet, lute, viol. Their mastery of counterpoint, ornamentation and improvisation made them exceptional artists who were quickly spotted far beyond Ferrara. This trio of exceptional voices impressed audiences with their virtuosity and the emotion that animated the singers, becoming a veritable social phenomenon of immense renown. Adding to their fame was the mystery surrounding the Dames de Ferrare, whose music was jealously guarded by the Duke, who forbade its publication. The secrecy and intimate nature of these concerts, which the Duke reserved for a select Italian and European elite, played a large part in the reputation of the musical court of Ferrara throughout the 17th century.