The Vache Baroque Festival is launching a new video series which celebrates the work of women composers of the baroque era.

Entitled VB Showcase, the project aims to shine a light on lesser known songs, with new videos due for release every fortnight from Sunday 22 May to Sunday 31 July 2022.

Artists signed up to take part include sopranos Hilary Cronin, Angela Hicks and Jasmine Flicker, and mezzo-soprano Karima El Demerdasch.

The six featured songs are:

Lady Mary Dering: When first I saw fair Doris’ eyes
Lucia Quinciani: Udite lagrimosi spirti d’Averno, udite
Francesca Caccini: Ch’amor sio nudo
Julie Pinel: Chantez, dansez
Elisabetta de Gambarini: Behold and listen
Chiara Margarita Cozzolani: Laudate Dominum

Festival Co-Founders Betty Makharinsky and Jonathan Darbourne said, “Sopranos and mezzos achieved cult status during the Baroque era (with rival fans even coming to blows in Handel’s theatre!) but music composed by women did not get the publication then or viability now that we think it deserves. We really hope you enjoy the songs that we have selected for our first VB Showcase series.”

VB Showcase launches online on Sunday 22 May. Visit https://vachebaroquefestival.com/ for more information.

Please visit https://vachebaroquefestival.com/ to explore the full festival programme.

Image: Michael Wheatley