Queen Christina of Sweden as a patron of music between Rome and Innsbruck
In 1655, Queen Christina of Sweden solemnly converted to Catholicism in Innsbruck’s Court Church. Archduke Ferdinand Karl and Archduchess Anna de’ Medici turned this event into a great celebration with several musical highlights – including the premiere of Antonio Cesti’s festive opera “L’Argia”. Christina’s contacts with Innsbruck did not cease when the regent settled in Rome and devoted herself intensively to promoting the arts. In 1662, Christina came to Innsbruck for a second time and this time too, a Cesti opera, “La magnanimità d’Alessandro”, was created in her honour – Christina’s second name since her Catholic baptism was Alexandra, after her mentor and godfather, the Chigi Pope Alexander VII.
Our concert will feature excerpts from the aforementioned Cesti operas, as well as other vocal and instrumental works from Christina’s circle, whose Roman court of the Muses became a European attraction. Many of these works are being performed for the first time in recent times. We present works by Antonio Cesti, Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Mealli, Giacomo Carissimi, Alessandro Melani and Arcangelo Corelli, among others. The Italian musicologist Luca Della Libera is an expert on Roman musical life in the 17th century; his new research findings on Christina’s musical patronage, which he will present in an introductory talk, will be incorporated into our programme.
BONUS: 6 pm introductory talk with the musicologist Luca Della Libera
