The Netherlands Opera’s production of William Tell, directed by Pierre Audi, has proved a daunting endeavor, captivating the audience through its colorful treatment of Rossini’s final opera. From the cast of characters on stage and the musicians of the orchestra to the sound, lighting, stage and costume departments, the roughly four-and-a-half-hour event couldn’t have been more stimulating.
Christophe Rousset's Les Talens Lyriques, founded in 1991, is inextricably linked with the music of the French Baroque. Rousset cut his teeth in William Christie's similar outfit, Les Arts Florissants, before branching out to explore works off the beaten track of Charpentier, Couperin, et al.