Un Roméo et Juliette allégé

By Gilles Lesur, 18 March 2015

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Reviewed at Philharmonie de Paris: Grande salle Pierre Boulez, Paris on 16 March 2015

Berlioz, Roméo et Juliette, choral symphony

Les Siècles

Ensemble Aedes

François-Xavier Roth, Conductor

Isabelle Druet, Mezzo-soprano

Jean-François Borras, Tenor

Jérôme Varnier, Bass

Mathieu Romano, Choirmaster / chorus director

Christof Loy’s understated Werther at the TCE

David Karlin, 22nd March

Massenet’s take on Goethe’s blockbuster novella of unrequited love and suicide is handled with great subtlety by Christof Loy and Marc Leroy-Calatayud. Benjamin Bernheim and Marina Viotti lead a starry vocal cast.

****1

Shimmering, disjointed: Poppe and Ligeti in Lucerne

Elodie Olson-Coons, 7th September

Les Siècles make their Lucerne Festival debut with a slightly uneven Poppe-Ligeti programme, at the heart of which Isabelle Faust nevertheless shines

***11

Mixed performances in Ligeti and Mozart from Les Siècles

David Truslove, 20th August

Three concertos and a symphony made for an unusual but generous programme, but Les Siècles illustrate that versatility can come with mixed blessings.

***11

A stunning Barbican debut by Les Siècles

Roy Westbrook, 20th June

Marking their 20th anniversary with a celebratory tour, Les Siècles perform French classics at the Barbican under their twinkle-toed founder, François-Xavier Roth.

*****

Paris 1913 brought to life by Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth

David Smythe, 16th August

Two works premiered in Paris in 1913 – Lili Boulanger's Faust et Hélène and Stravinsky The Rite of Spring – excite the Edinburgh International Festival audience... but spark no riots.

****1

An exotic banquet to savour from Les Siècles

Mark Pullinger, 16th August

It was truly magnifique to welcome French period instrument orchestra Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth to the BBC Proms for a highly perfumed programme of exotic sweetmeats.

*****

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Gilles Lesur

Tombé à l’âge de 10 ans dans la musique grâce à une manécanterie il n’en est plus jamais ressorti. Quelques années après il rejoignait un grand chœur parisien tout juste fondé avant de réussir simultanément le concours de médecine. Depuis il mène de front ces deux passions !