Music for Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain

The Rienzi displays Juan Pantoja de la Cruz’s impressive, life-size portrait of Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain. When she married Felipe III of Spain, she had to travel from her hometown of Graz in Austria to Valencia in Spain—a trip that took her six months. 

Our program tells Margaret's story and her connections with contemporary music history. Our vocal ensemble of six singers, accompanied by harpsichord, lute, and Baroque guitar, performs selections by Monteverdi, Romero, Guerriero, Rovigo and others—all music that Margaret has or could have heard, like a soundtrack to her portrait at the Rienzi.