Barbara Strozzi Essentials

Acknowledged as the most prolific Venetian composer of the Baroque era, Barbara Strozzi possessed a particular talent for word-painting and produced eight volumes of vocal music. An enigmatic character, she had patronage from neither church nor court, but her dazzling singing voice and flair for poetic lyrics, combined with the support of her father—a well-connected poet—ensured her place in Venice’s artistic circles.