Voice of the Rose:  the sacred feminine

songs of medieval Spain

Nancy Knowles, soprano, flutes, percussion

Harking back to an age when feminine virtues were a source of inspiration, praised in song and verse, Voice of the Rose features the evocative solo songs of medieval Spain. Known for her work in this repertoire, with her passionate singing and haunting flutes Knowles tells tales of sisters, mothers, Holy Mary and Mary Magdalen, of birth, of mourning, and of pilgrimage, bringing alive all three cultures of medieval Spain, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian. In addition to the concert alone, Knowles offers tiis program as a residency that includes concert, masterclasses, and lectures/classes ranging from the role of women as reflected in the songs of medieval and renaissance Spain, to romanesque acoustics.

"the eloquence...could not have been improved upon...the soprano Nancy Knowles gave a vocal image of the "heavenly queen" in Royne Celestre—sturdy, compassionate, serene."

The New York Times

"A spellbinding performance...kept the audience mesmerized.   Nancy Knowles opened with a set of medieval and Sephardic wisdom songs sung with astonishing presence and breath control that were equally present in her soulful playing of a reed flute from India.  Her soprano voice resonated as if she were singing in a medieval cathedral."   

The Falmouth Enterprise (MA)