Founded in 2024 by soprano Raquel Mendes and harpsichordist Rafaela Salgado, the Ensemble L’Amoureux Empire aims to give voice to the talent and creativity of its founders through historically informed performances of 17th- and 18th-century music, in its most intimate form, reduced to its essential core: voice and basso continuo.

The name “L’Amoureux Empire” evokes the predominance of passion and expressive affect that characterizes Baroque music, particularly in vocal genres such as the aria and the lament, widely cultivated by composers of the period.

In 2024, the ensemble was awarded 1st Prize in the Baroque Music category at the Jovens Músicos/Antena 2 Prize, Portugal’s most prestigious national competition, establishing itself as one of the most promising emerging ensembles on the Portuguese music scene.

Its repertoire includes works by composers such as Barbara Strozzi and Antonia Bembo, as well as Claudio Monteverdi, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Luigi Rossi, and Sigismondo d’India, exploring universal themes such as love, devotion, suffering, and spiritual transfiguration. 

In 2025, the ensemble will record its first CD, dedicated to exploring the dramatic intensity of Italian Seicento music. 

Beyond performance, L’Amoureux Empire seeks to foster research and interdisciplinary dialogue, building bridges between musicology, performance, and contemporary artistic creation.

Combining stylistic rigor, virtuosity, and a strong expressive dimension, L’Amoureux Empire positions itself as a leading artistic project in the early music landscape in Portugal.