Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | A Lifetime Of Service | 20161216 | 20180921 (R3) | Francesca Caccini is denied her freedom by the Grand Duchess Christine de Lorraine, presented by Donald Macleod. Francesca Caccini has been hailed as the first female composer to write an opera. However this isn't necessarily true. The work in question, La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina, was written for the theatre and is almost entirely sung, but academics now believe that this is not an opera. What we do know is that Francesca Caccini was the daughter, sister, wife and mother of a family of singers, and was one of the most prolific composers of her time. She was employed at the Medici court in Florence in the early seventeenth century, and rose to become the highest paid musician on the Medici payroll. This week Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Francesca Caccini and her circle, such as her father Giulio Caccini, and other composers including Jacopo Peri, Lorenzo Allegri, and Marco da Gagliano. Francesca Caccini's first husband died in 1626, which left her future and the future of her daughter in a precarious state. She decided to marry again, and this time to a man of property, Tommaso Rafaelli, a minor nobleman of Lucca. Although there was a further child, this time a son, the marriage only lasted a short time as her second husband died in 1630. Francesca Caccini was now a woman of some property, and she lobbied the Medici court to relinquish any rights of custody to her daughter Margherita. As Francesca was employed by the Medici when her daughter was born, with the death of Caccini's second husband, the supervision of Margherita reverted to the Medici court. Caccini's appeal was accepted. She and her family soon returned to Florence to work for the ailing Grand Duchess Christine de Lorraine. However, Francesca's second petition to the Grand Duchess to be made a lady of the court, was refused. Caccini remained a servant until her death. Dispiegate guance amate Raffaele Pe, countertenor Chiara Granata, triple harp David Miller, theorbo Ch'Amor sia nudo Elena Cecchi Fedi, soprano Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini Gian Luca Lastraioli, theorbo and conductor Che t'ho fatt'io Non so se quell sorriso Jesu corona virginum Marilena Zlatanou, mezzo Lars Henrik Johansen, organ Maria, dolce Maria Regula Konrad, soprano Il Desiderio O chiome belle Shannon Mercer, soprano Sylvain Bergeron, guitar Amanda Keesmaat, cello Io mi distruggo Sylvain Bergeron, guitar & theorbo Luc Beaus退jour, harpsichord S'io m'en v Luc Beaus退jour, organ O admirabile commercium Ensemble Jacqves Moderne Jo뀀l Suhubiette, director Vere languores La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina (excerpts) The Toronto Consort Producer Luke Whitlock Francesca Caccini is denied her freedom by the Medici | |
| 2016 | Caccini Goes Into Print | 20161214 | 20180919 (R3) | Francesca Caccini publishes her first and only collection of music, presented by Donald Macleod. Francesca Caccini has been hailed as the first female composer to write an opera. However this isn't necessarily true. The work in question, La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina, was written for the theatre and is almost entirely sung, but academics now believe that this is not an opera. What we do know is that Francesca Caccini was the daughter, sister, wife and mother of a family of singers, and was one of the most prolific composers of her time. She was employed at the Medici court in Florence in the early seventeenth century, and rose to become the highest paid musician on the Medici payroll. This week Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Francesca Caccini and her circle, such as her father Giulio Caccini, and other composers including Jacopo Peri, Lorenzo Allegri, and Marco da Gagliano. In 1612 Francesca Caccini's fame as a musician was spreading far and wide, and requests were made to the Medici court to borrow her for short periods. These requests were denied and, in a bid to retain Caccini's services in Florence, the Medici raised her salary making her the highest paid musician at the Florentine court. By 1614 investment was made locally in developing printing opportunities, and composers soon rushed to bring out their works in print including Francesca's father Giulio, and also Marco da Gagliano. A few years later in 1618, Francesca Caccini brought out her own collection of music in print. She intended this to be the first of many, but her Medici employers forbade her to publish again. Caccini was contracted as a musician, a servant, and she was to do as she was told. Non ha'l ciel Montserrat Figueras, soprano Hopkinson Smith, guitar Robert Clancy, guitar Jordi Savall, viola da gamba Xenia Schindler, harp Duo Seraphim clamabant Ensemble Jacques Moderne Jo뀀l Suhubiette, director Io veggio i campi Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini Gian Luca Lastraioli, theorbo and conductor Chi desia di saper Ave Maria Ensemble Jacqves Moderne Rendi alle mie speranze il verde Shannon Mercer, soprano Luc Beaus退jour, organ Maria, dolce Maria Amanda Keesmaat, cello Regina caeli Dispiegate, guance amate Tenet O vive rose La Dafne (Scene 5 & 6) Barbara Schlick, soprano (Nymph 1) Ian Partridge, tenor (Tirsi) Nigel Rogers, tenor (Apollo) David Thomas, bass (Shepherd 1) Berthold Possemeyer, baritone (Shepherd 2) Monteverdi Choir Hamburg Camerata Accademica Hamburg Jürgens Jürgens, director Producer Luke Whitlock Francesca Caccini publishes her first collection of music | |
| 2016 | Employed, By The Grand Duchess | 20161213 | 20180918 (R3) | Francesca Caccini receives her first appointment at the Medici Court, presented by Donald Macleod. Francesca Caccini has been hailed as the first female composer to write an opera. However this isn't necessarily true. The work in question, La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina, was written for the theatre and is almost entirely sung, but academics now believe that this is not an opera. What we do know is that Francesca Caccini was the daughter, sister, wife and mother of a family of singers, and was one of the most prolific composers of her time. She was employed at the Medici court in Florence in the early seventeenth century, and rose to become the highest paid musician on the Medici payroll. This week Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Francesca Caccini and her circle, such as her father Giulio Caccini, and other composers including Jacopo Peri, Lorenzo Allegri, and Marco da Gagliano. Francesca Caccini and her family were well received at the French court and King Henry IV declared that Francesca was the best singer in all of France. An offer was made to Giulio Caccini for Francesca and her sister to remain in France, but their father was keen that the entire family should return to Florence. Once back in Italy Giulio wasted no time in promoting the family's success in France, in order to secure Francesca's future. By 1607 she received her first official appointment as a musician to the Medici court which was then largely controlled by the Grand Duchess, Christine de Lorraine. Upon Francesca's appointment, the Grand Duchess arranged a marriage for her new employee to a singer called Giovanni Battista Signorini. Caccini's contract to the Medici gave her many responsibilities, including performing as a singer and as an instrumentalist both at court and for church services, composing new music and preparing it for performances, as well as teaching music to some of the Medici children. Lasciatemi qui solo Flavio Ferri-Benedetti, countertenor Il Profondo Ciaccona, arr. Luigi Cozzolino Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini Gian Luca Lastraiolo, theorbo and conductor Romanesca, arr. Luigi Cozzolino Io mi distruggo and ardo Olga Pitarch, soprano Marco Horvat, tenor & theorbo Su le piume de'venti trionfator Shannon Mercer, soprano Amanda Keesmaat, cello Luc Beaus退jour, organ La notte d'Amore Gran Consort Li Stromenti Gian Luca Lastraioli, conductor La pastorella Sylvain Bergeron, guitar Luc Beaus退jour, harpsichord Le ninfe di Senna Non s se quel sorriso Producer Luke Whitlock Francesca Caccini is employed at the Medici Court | |
| 2016 | Honoured, By The King Of France | 20161212 | 20180917 (R3) | King Henry IV invites Francesca Caccini and her family to France to perform at court. Presented by Donald Macleod. Francesca Caccini has been hailed as the first female composer to write an opera. However this isn't necessarily true. The work in question, La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina, was written for the theatre and is almost entirely sung, but academics now believe that this is not an opera. What we do know is that Francesca Caccini was the daughter, sister, wife and mother of a family of singers, and was one of the most prolific composers of her time. She was employed at the Medici court in Florence in the early seventeenth century, and rose to become the highest paid musician on the Medici payroll. This week Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Francesca Caccini and her circle, such as her father Giulio Caccini, and other composers including Jacopo Peri, Lorenzo Allegri, and Marco da Gagliano. Francesca Caccini was born in 1587. Her father Giulio was a composer and her mother a singer, both employed at the Medici court in Florence. Many pupils would come to the Caccini household to be taught by Giulio, and when he recognised his daughter's talents, he made sure Francesca was educated well. Francesca Caccini's first performance before court as a singer was in 1600, in her father's opera The Abduction of Cephalus. Giulio's music was put in the shade by another opera performed just a few days earlier, Euridice by Jacopo Peri. These celebrations at the Medici court were for the forthcoming wedding of Henry IV of France, to Marie de Medici. They evidently went well, for the Caccini family soon received an invitation to go to perform in France for the King. O che nuovo stupor Elena Cecchi Fedi, soprano Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini Gian Luca Lastraioli, theorbo and conductor L'Euridice (Scene II) Gian Paolo Fagotto, tenor (Orfeo) Mario Cecchetti, tenor (Aminta) Giuseppe Zambon, countertenor (Arcetro) Monica Benvenuti, soprano (Ninfa I) Rossana Bertini, soprano (Ninfa II) Paolo Da Col, tenor (Tirsi) Ensemble Arpeggio Roberto de Caro, director Dov'io credea le mie speranze vere Shannon Mercer, soprano Sylvain Bergeron, guitar Io veggio i campi verdeggiar fecondi Amanda Keesmaat, cello O vive rose Luc Beaus退jour, harpsichord L'Euridice (Scene V & VI) Silvia Frigato, sopeano (Euridice) Sara Mingardo, also (Dafne) Gianpaolo Fagotto, tenor (Arcetro) Luca Dordolo, tenor (Aminta) Furio Zanasi, baritone (Orfeo) Monica Piccini, soprano (Nymph) Anna Simboli,soprano (Nymph) Raffaele Giordani, tenor (Shepherd) Marco Scavazza, baritone (Shepherd) Mauro Borgioni, baritone (Shepherd) Matteo Bellotto, bass (Shepherd) Concerto Italiano Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor Se muove a giurar fede Gian Luca Lastraiolo, theorbo and conductor Producer Luke Whitlock King Henry of France invites Francesca Caccini to sing | |
| 2016 | Music As Propaganda | 20161215 | 20180920 (R3) | Francesca Caccini's music is used as a political weapon by the Medici, presented by Donald Macleod. Francesca Caccini has been hailed as the first female composer to write an opera. However this isn't necessarily true. The work in question, La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina, was written for the theatre and is almost entirely sung, but academics now believe that this is not an opera. What we do know is that Francesca Caccini was the daughter, sister, wife and mother of a family of singers, and was one of the most prolific composers of her time. She was employed at the Medici court in Florence in the early seventeenth century, and rose to become the highest paid musician on the Medici payroll. This week Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Francesca Caccini and her circle, such as her father Giulio Caccini, and other composers including Jacopo Peri, Lorenzo Allegri, and Marco da Gagliano. Francesca Caccini's court obligations in Florence were highly demanding. By 1619 she was writing to the court officials complaining that her recent workload had been very great with teaching, performing and composing. Not only was she busy working, but in 1622 Caccini also became a mother. Just a few years later Caccini would receive a commission to write a stage work, La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina, that would immortalise her in the future as the first women to compose an opera. Although the work may not be an opera, it was a work of sheer spectacle and was intended to demonstrate the power of the Medici women at that time. This stage work became very popular in its day, and was even translated into Polish. Fresche aurette Shannon Mercer, soprano Sylvain Bergeron, theorbo Amanda Keesmaat, cello Luc Beaus退jour, organ Dov' io credea Ingrid Matthews, baroque violin Byron Schenkman, harpsichord Nube gentil Josh Lee, viola da gamba Jeffrey Grossman, harpsichord Venite gentes Ensemble Jacqves Moderne Jo뀀l Suhubiette, director Quem vidistis pastores O quam pulchra es Lameno di Iole Montserrat Figueras, soprano Hesp耀rion XXI Jodri Savall, director La Flora (Valli profonde) Nigel Rogers, tenor Colin Tilney, organ Anthony Bailes, chitarrone Jordi Savall, viola da gamba Pere Ros, violin La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina (Per la piùvaga e bella) Heike Pichler-Trosits, soprano La Villanella Basel Lasciatemi qui solo Te lucis ante terminum O che nuovo stupor Max van Egmond, bass Ricercar Consort Producer Luke Whitlock | |
| 2016 | 03 | Caccini Goes Into Print | 20161214 | Francesca Caccini publishes her first and only collection of music, presented by Donald Macleod. Francesca Caccini has been hailed as the first female composer to write an opera. However this isn't necessarily true. The work in question, La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina, was written for the theatre and is almost entirely sung, but academics now believe that this is not an opera. What we do know is that Francesca Caccini was the daughter, sister, wife and mother of a family of singers, and was one of the most prolific composers of her time. She was employed at the Medici court in Florence in the early seventeenth century, and rose to become the highest paid musician on the Medici payroll. This week Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Francesca Caccini and her circle, such as her father Giulio Caccini, and other composers including Jacopo Peri, Lorenzo Allegri, and Marco da Gagliano. In 1612 Francesca Caccini's fame as a musician was spreading far and wide, and requests were made to the Medici court to borrow her for short periods. These requests were denied and, in a bid to retain Caccini's services in Florence, the Medici raised her salary making her the highest paid musician at the Florentine court. By 1614 investment was made locally in developing printing opportunities, and composers soon rushed to bring out their works in print including Francesca's father Giulio, and also Marco da Gagliano. A few years later in 1618, Francesca Caccini brought out her own collection of music in print. She intended this to be the first of many, but her Medici employers forbade her to publish again. Caccini was contracted as a musician, a servant, and she was to do as she was told. Non ha'l ciel Montserrat Figueras, soprano Hopkinson Smith, guitar Robert Clancy, guitar Jordi Savall, viola da gamba Xenia Schindler, harp Duo Seraphim clamabant Ensemble Jacques Moderne Jo뀀l Suhubiette, director Io veggio i campi Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini Gianluca Lastraioli, theorbo and conductor Chi desia di saper Ave Maria Ensemble Jacqves Moderne Rendi alle mie speranze il verde Shannon Mercer, soprano Luc Beaus退jour, organ Maria, dolce Maria Amanda Keesmaat, cello Regina caeli Dispiegate, guance amate Tenet O vive rose La Dafne (Scene 5 & 6) Barbara Schlick, soprano (Nymph 1) Ian Partridge, tenor (Tirsi) Nigel Rogers, tenor (Apollo) David Thomas, bass (Shepherd 1) Berthold Possemeyer, baritone (Shepherd 2) Monteverdi Choir Hamburg Camerata Accademica Hamburg Jürgen Jürgens, director Producer Luke Whitlock. Donald Macleod focuses on Caccini's publishing her first and only collection of music. |