Sonnambula Will Premiere Lost Baroque Works in November

The ensemble will debut four music pieces written by Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre in New York City.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Medieval and Renaissance

Gouache-painted illustration of a wooden baroque cello leaning against a stone pillar, evoking the discovery of historical music. — The ensemble Sonnambula will debut four long-lost baroque works by Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre at Columbia University on November 19. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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On November 19, 2026, the ensemble Sonnambula will perform the premiere of four baroque works at Columbia University. These pieces by composer Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre have remained unperformed for three centuries.

Why it matters

The works, originally commissioned for the court at Versailles, provide rare insight into how women composers navigated the musical landscape of early eighteenth-century France. Their revival offers a new perspective on the intersection of education and court life.

Sonnambula received a 2026 Chamber Music America Award and recently concluded a residency at The Frick Collection for the 2025-26 season.

The players

Sonnambula

This musical ensemble is known for its work in the baroque period and served as the inaugural ensemble-in-residence at The Frick Collection.

Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre

She was a prominent seventeenth-century French composer who navigated the musical life of the court at Versailles.

Elizabeth Weinfield

She is the leader of the ensemble Sonnambula and performed the research to uncover the previously lost works.

Morgan Library & Museum

This New York City institution houses the collection containing the educational treatise where the works were discovered.

Mary Cyr

She is a musicologist who compiled a critical edition of the composer's work in 2005.

The details

Led by Elizabeth Weinfield, the ensemble identified the works within the 1712 educational treatise Les Amusemens de Monseigneur le Duc de Bretagne. The Morgan Library & Museum acquired the collection in 2022, providing the basis for this research and forthcoming scholarly publication.

The educational treatise was originally published in 1712.
Mary Cyr compiled a critical edition of the composer's work in 2005.
The Morgan Library & Museum acquired the text in 2022.
A panel discussion will take place at Columbia University on November 18, 2026.
The concert premiere will occur at St. Paul's Chapel on November 19, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

This performance reflects a broader trend of ensembles leveraging archival research to recover lost historical compositions, bridging the gap between musicology and live performance. It highlights the shifting focus of modern ensembles toward unearthing the contributions of women to the baroque canon.

The public can attend a panel discussion on November 18, 2026, followed by the concert premiere at St. Paul's Chapel on November 19, 2026. Future access to the music will be facilitated by a forthcoming recording and scholarly publication.

The takeaway

This project demonstrates how deep archival research can fundamentally alter our understanding of historical musical contributions. It serves as an example for how modern performers can preserve cultural heritage by integrating academic study into the concert experience.