We are commissioning a mini-song cycle, set to the text of sonnets by the 16th century Lionnaise poet Louise Labé.
The Portrait Players are partnering with composer Clare Elton in the creation of a mini-song cycle based on the Sonnets of Louise Labé. The new compositions would find our way into our Les Femmes Illustres programme which showcases brilliant female writers and actresses in 17th century Paris and London.
Louise Labé was a 16th century Lionnaise writer who, whilst born to a family of ropemakers, and marrying one (earning her the nickname La Belle Cordiere), became a writer and frequented the literary salons of Lyon. Her style bears a strong influence of Petrarch in poetry as well as prose, and she herself was an inspiration to writers such as Jean de la Fontaine. Uniquely to her time her Love Sonnets explore unattainable love in overtly passionate style from a female point of view.
Donate via our crowd funder page, and keep in touch to learn more about Labé. Discover her poetry through our new series of ‘Sonnet Sundays’ on instagram, and keep updated about the progress of the project!
The Portrait Players 