Art and Music of the Baroque: From Ecstasy to Enlightenment, given by Victoria Martino, who also happens to be an art historian as well as Baroque violinist, will feature the Musica Pro Arte Ensemble, covering the years 1650-1700 in France and Germany. The 17th century marked the ascendancy of France under the reign of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, becoming the dominant cultural force in Europe. At the same time, the German Empire gained new strength through conquests in Eastern Europe. French artists such as Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain were paralleled by composers, Denis Gaultier and Louis Couperin. Jean-Baptiste Lully was a great innovator in the realms of opera and ballet. In Vienna, international composers such as Marc Antonio Cesti and Jakob Froberger were active in the court. In the North, the Protestant Church rose to prominence, producing composers such as Dietrich Buxtehude.