FEMUS 18 seeks to uncover where and how women engaged with music in 18th century Portugal, analyzing their distribution across social classes, technical skills, education, visibility, and repertoire. Previous research shows that much remains to be explored regarding women’s spaces of action, which have historically been overlooked, and the need to question the concept of visibility: whether women were excluded, or not engaged, in activities related to musical practices, or if on the contrary, by exercising them, they occupied other spaces and participated in ways that diverged from the dominant, male-coded public sphere.
The core objective is to identify and characterize the spaces in which female musicianship typically occurred, and to explore the relationship between music and the women who performed it. This research focuses on five primary spaces: convents and places of devotion, professional public and court theaters, aristocratic milieus, domestic settings, and outdoor locations such as streets and markets. Through this typology, FEMUS 18 aims to map these environments, highlight the repertoires associated with each, and examine how societal and gender expectations shaped women’s musical opportunities.
FEMUS 18 also investigates the social portrayal of these women, their agency and self-narratives of music-making, and the financial and administrative structures surrounding their practices. Anchored in the broader theme of the role and visibility of women in the 18th century, FEMUS 18 brings light to women’s participation in music, and inquire into possible discrepancies in spaces and practices. It offers a critical examination of historically constructed, gender-biased definitions of representation, visibility, and excellence, contributing to a richer and more nuanced understanding of 18th century musical culture.
