This programme, dedicated to the women musicians and composers who practised their art at the French Court the French Court during the lifetime of Louis XIV, is intended to be both a mosaic representation of the musical society of the Sun King's entourage the Sun King's entourage as well as a watermark of the possibilities available to women at the time who wished to make a career in this field.

In Italy, composition and music had long been accessible to and practised by women. accessible to and practised by women (especially among the aristocracy and aristocracy and convents, but also in orphanages), the emergence of the emergence of female personalities in the French musical world had to take the French musical world took more time. It was not until the splendour of Louis XIV and the massive involvement the massive involvement of musicians at Court to see the development of real musical dynasties dynasties inheriting positions and functions, whether in the King's Chamber the King's Chamber, his Chapel or his Stables. Within these dynasties were born daughters were also born who, like their brothers, received the best musical musical education. The most gifted of them, such as Mademoiselle de Ménetou or Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre were introduced to the King as children and went on to and went on to pursue prominent careers.

However, although musical talent is a valued quality in a woman, the However, although musical talent is a valued quality in a woman, embarking on a career in this field called questioned their morality. Those who did, were strongly supported by their families by their families and husbands.

Some of the women composers whose works you will have the pleasure of hearing in this works in this programme have a sadly typical background as women of the time: Antonia Bemann Antonia Bembo had to flee Italy and her violent husband, abandon her children Antonia Bembo had to flee Italy and her violent husband, and abandon her children, before finding protection at the French Court. Her style, more style, more dramatically Italian, allows us to see the variety of music that was heard in the entourage of the Sun King. Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre War, the first French composer of cantatas, mastered both Italian and French Italian and French styles and includes them in her works covering the repertoire for solo harpsichord for solo harpsichord to the genre of opera ballet. One could say that it was the reign of Louis XIV that women gained recognition for their musical their musical talents on an equal footing with men, which subsequently opened This opened up the possibility of being appointed as music teachers to the royal family. Indeed, Mademoiselle de Ménetou was the first woman, at only 11 years of age, to publish a collection only 11 years old, to publish a collection of her works with the famous publisher Ballard. The next, almost 40 years later, was Julie Pinel. None of the women we will hear from today They were composers, musicians and singers, and they defended themselves just as well as their male colleagues, who respected them and drew inspiration from them. It is this variety, this respect, this collegiality and these talents that we would like to present to you would like to present to you today in :

La Françoise - Women Musicians and Composers at the Court of Louis XIV

With :

Maud Haering - Soprano Claire Foltzer - Baroque violin Rachel Heymans - Baroque recorder and oboe Mathilde Gomas - Viola da gamba Gwennaëlle Alibert - Continuo