We continue our delightful short film series Seconda Prattica with a stunning piece by Barbara Strozzi, Le tre Grazie a Venere featuring three sublime singers, Anna Dowsley, Taryn Fiebig and Chloe Lankshear.

Barbara Strozzi was a phenomenal composer and singer, who published eight volumes of music during her lifetime, more than even the most famous composers of any gender in 17th-century Venice. The illegitimate daughter of a noble Venetian poet, who encouraged her to pursue her talents by studying with Cavalli. Strozzi was one of the few female composers of her time to write under her own name, while other female musicians were forced to adopt a male pseudonym.

As the daughter of a poet she was particularly concerned with the setting of texts and often chose to explore themes of desire and passion. Her music is stunningly beautiful and has been described as creating sounds that make you fall in love and feel the pleasure and pain of life in your bones.

A famous singer in her own right she demonstrates impeccable understanding of the female voice and Le tre Grazie a Venere is a masterly example of this, sung by three beautiful women to the most beautiful woman, Venus.

Seconda Prattica is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW