Desperate Measures

One of the most fascinating figures of seventeenth-century music, composer and singer Antonia Padoani Bembo (c.1640 - c.1720) was active in both Venice and Paris. Her work provides a unique cross-cultural window into the rich musical cultures of these cities, yet owing to her clandestine existence in France, for almost three centuries Bembo's life was shrouded in mystery. In this first-ever biography, Clare Fontijn unveils the enthralling and surprising story of a remarkable woman who moved in the musical, literary, and artistic circles of these European cultural centers.

Claire Fontijn is Phyllis Henderson Carey Professor of Music at Wellesley College, where she teaches courses on Early Music, Opera, Women Composers, Louis XIV's France, and the German Lied. Her work as a performer informs her archival work and musical analyses. She has appeared as a singer and baroque flutist with La Donna Musicale (Boston), The Washington Bach Consort (D.C.), and Le Concert Spirituel (Paris), among other ensembles.