Armonia Celeste (Photo submitted)

Performing the music beloved by a gender bending, 17th century Swedish queen sounds like quite a challenge, but the acclaimed musical ensemble Armonia Celeste is ready to meet it.

The performance is slated for Sunday, Feb. 3, at Hinton Music Hall at Middle Tennessee State University.

The ensemble’s free performance of “The Rebel Queen: Christina’s Swedish Court in Rome” at 7 p.m. inside the Wright Music Building will feature three singers and two musicians playing period plucked-string instruments.

The cast will reproduce the sacred and secular music created for Queen Christina Alexandra, who shocked Europe in 1654 when she abdicated the Swedish throne, discarded her Lutheran faith to embrace Catholicism and headed to Rome, often dressing as a knight en route, and became a major musical patron.

For more details about Armonia Celeste, which means heavenly harmony in Italian, and the history behind the show, visit www.armoniaceleste.wordpress.com.

For more MTSU School of Music concert information, call 615-898-2493 or visit www.mtsumusic.com.