The three madrigal cycles by three of the most important figures of the Italian proto-Baroque: Claudio Monteverdi, Sigismondo d’India, and Luca Marenzio. All three are based on the same scene from Guarini’s famous tragicomedy “Il pastor fido" and reflect the vivid and dramatic changes undergone by the Renaissance madrigal, bringing it to its spectacular climax of expressive maturity and its inevitable demise. Il Complesso Barocco founded in 1992 by Alan Curtis is today one of the leading ensembles for the music of Handel and the Italian baroque. Their first CDs in the 90s together with appearances at major international festivals and concert series quickly established their reputation for arresting and passionately expressive interpretations rich in fantasy, together with high standards of intonation and stylistic accuracy.