How does artistic talent arise? What enables it to grow and develop? What internal forces and environmental circumstances allow a passion for art to transform into a true profession? Is it true that with equal talent and opportunities, women can achieve the same goals as men? These are some of the questions addressed by the performance "Une Femme Savante": the narrative alternates with four musical interventions dedicated to the figure of Louise Farrenc, an extraordinary composer, pianist, educator, and publisher, on the 220th anniversary of her birth. Through letters, reviews, and documents of the time, Silvia Chiesa, Mihaela Costea, and Linda Di Carlo recount the journey of a woman who managed to overcome the prejudices of a traditionally male-dominated environment like the French music scene of the 19th century, asserting her professionalism as a Conservatory professor and achieving equal pay to her male colleagues.
