Amanda Forsythe, soprano
Amanda Powell, soprano
Amanda Crider, mezzo-soprano
Long ago in the palace of Ferrara, three renowned ladies entertained princes with their astonishing musicianship. The “Tre Donne di Ferrara” (Three Ladies of Ferrara) were probably the first female professional musicians. Apollo’s Fire collaborates with three stunning Amandas in virtuoso trios written for the Ferrara ladies, alongside soulful songs by Barbara Strozzi and Francesca Caccini and lively duets from Monteverdi’s playful Scherzi Musicali. Eight instrumentalists join in the fun with dances from the palace and the countryside.
Premiered in Cleveland, November 2020
Amanda Powell, soprano
Amanda Crider, mezzo-soprano
Long ago in the palace of Ferrara, three renowned ladies entertained princes with their astonishing musicianship. The “Tre Donne di Ferrara” (Three Ladies of Ferrara) were probably the first female professional musicians. Apollo’s Fire collaborates with three stunning Amandas in virtuoso trios written for the Ferrara ladies, alongside soulful songs by Barbara Strozzi and Francesca Caccini and lively duets from Monteverdi’s playful Scherzi Musicali. Eight instrumentalists join in the fun with dances from the palace and the countryside.
Premiered in Cleveland, November 2020
Read the Reviews
“Apollo’s Fire finds sizzling Allure in the early Baroque. This concert unfolds with plenty of magic… a spellbinding atmosphere. Celebrating the work of pioneering female professional musicians, a battle against a male-dominated profession that is still going on today with Sorrell as one of the world leaders. Amanda Forsythe delivered a stratospheric cadenza with utter surety….”
– Seen & Heard International
“…The results are stunning. Forsythe, Powell and Crider deliver the kind of jaw-dropping performances that might well have landed them jobs at the 17th-century Ducal court.”
– ClevelandClassical.com
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