Strozzi: Ariette a voce sola, Op. 6

Barbara Strozzi had the good luck to be born in 1619 in Venice, in a world rich in creativity, intellectual ebullience and artistic freedom. She became well-known as a composer and singer, and published eight collections of vocal music (125 chamber cantatas) without the support of the Church or the patronage of an aristocratic family. Her works were included in important anthologies published in Europe and England. She died in Padua, in 1677. She was the adoptive daughter of Giulio Strozzi, and very probably his natural daughter; in order to promote her shows, in 1637 the poet founded the Accademia degli Unisoni. The very limited biographical information we have about Barbara’s private life reveals the personality of a woman endowed with extraordinary talent, beauty, intellect and entrepreneurship. Her Op. 6, published in Venice in 1657, includes cantatas and stanza arias. These compositions show the influence of Claudio Monteverdi, and are characterised by a great expressiveness based