Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Les Arts Florissants

Handel's pastoral sings, dances and laughs: Les Arts Florissants in L'Allegro at the Barbican

By Roy Westbrook, 14 March 2022

William Christie directs with all his customary close involvement, and profound belief in the work in hand.

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London

15 Mar 2022

Handel's pastoral sings, dances and laughs at the Barbican

By Roy Westbrook

Lucerne

Les Arts Florissants dazzle in Handel’s Partenope at Lucerne Festival

By Laura Servidei, 03 September 2021

William Christie leads his legendary orchestra and a group of young singers in a successful performance of Handel’s semi-serious opera.

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Lucerne

04 Sep 2021

Les Arts Florissants dazzle in Handel’s Partenope in Lucerne

By Laura Servidei

Titon et l'Aurore at the Opéra Comique: flying sheep in a pastoral fantasy

By Philippe Ramin, 21 January 2021

In Basil Twist's staging of Titon et l'Aurore, William Christie shows the breadth of his talent in 18th century French repertoire, conducting an cast which excels in both main and supporting roles.

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Paris

21 Jan 2021

Titon et l'Aurore: flying sheep at the Opéra Comique

By Philippe Ramin

The Creation: Les Arts Florissants bring out Haydn’s inventiveness in New York

By Edward Sava-Segal, 15 November 2018

The small, thirty-strong choir was the true star of the evening rendering Haydn’s contrapuntal mastery with tremendous conviction and marvelous cohesiveness.

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New York City

18 Nov 2018

Bringing out Haydn’s inventiveness in New York

By Edward Sava-Segal

Edinburgh

Baroque meets jukebox musical in a wryly topical Beggar’s Opera at EIF

By David Smythe, 16 August 2018

A wry and topical new version of The Beggar’s Opera from Robert Carsen and Ian Burton from Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord is energetic, fun and amusing. Les Arts Florissants provide colourful Baroque accompaniment.

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Edinburgh

17 Aug 2018

Baroque meets jukebox musical: The Beggar’s Opera

By David Smythe

Salzburg

Sacrifice to passion: L’incoronazione di Poppea in Salzburg

By Laura Servidei, 12 August 2018

A wonderful cast conducted by William Christie in a new production of L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Salzburg Festival.

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Salzburg

13 Aug 2018

Sacrifice to passion: L’incoronazione di Poppea in Salzburg

By Laura Servidei

Handel’s Ariodante comes from Vienna to Madrid

By Laura Servidei, 18 March 2018

William Christie and Les Arts Florissants show true Baroque musicianship in Madrid, in an Ariodante with a solid cast.

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Madrid

20 Mar 2018

Handel’s Ariodante comes from Vienna to Madrid

By Laura Servidei

“It must be so": Handel's Jephtha at the Palais Garnier

By Laura Servidei, 13 January 2018

Claus Guth's production of Handel's last oratorio lands in Paris, where William Christie leads Les Arts Florissants and a stellar cast.

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Paris

15 Jan 2018

"It must be so": Handel's Jephtha

By Laura Servidei

Polished, but no cracker: Les Arts Florissants perform Handel’s Messiah

By Olivia Bell, 19 December 2016

Polished, deft and attentive, Les Arts Florissants deliver in concert the same slickness that we have come to expect from their impressive array of recordings, but lack vital energy.

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London

21 Dec 2016

Polished, but no cracker

By Olivia Bell

Budapest

The arts are blooming in William Christie’s Budapest Messiah

By Zoltán Szabó, 17 December 2016

William Christie and his ensemble Les Arts Florissants (or The blooming arts – a reference to an opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier) visited the Hungarian capital to perform Handel’s Messiah in the exceptional acoustics of the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall.

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Budapest

19 Dec 2016

The arts are blooming in William Christie’s Budapest Messiah

By Zoltán Szabó

Prom 63: Bach's Mass in B minor as chamber music

By David Karlin, 01 September 2016

Tim Mead impresses; William Christie and Les Arts Florissants lack the heft to fill the Royal Albert Hall.

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London

02 Sep 2016

Bach's Mass in B minor as chamber music

By David Karlin

A profoundly impressive Theodora from Les Arts Florissants in Amsterdam

By Olga de Kort, 07 November 2015

Les Arts Florissants' performance of Handel's oratorio Theodora presents true characters with an intense inner life.

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Amsterdam

10 Nov 2015

A profoundly impressive Theodora in Amsterdam

By Olga de Kort

Sydney

Evergreen Arts Florissants and youthful Jardin des Voix deliver fine show in Sydney

By David Larkin, 12 March 2015

An imaginatively programmed and deftly executed concert from William Christie's Arts Florissants and Jardin des Voix offers many delights in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

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Sydney

14 Mar 2015

Evergreen Arts Florissants and youthful Jardin des Voix

By David Larkin

Authentic, stylish Rameau from William Christie and Les Arts Florissants

By Jack Johnson, 29 July 2014

These wonderfully original works were performed with style and precision however the sound quickly disappeared into the rafters of a mostly empty Royal Albert Hall.

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London

31 Jul 2014

Les Arts Florissants' Rameau at the Proms

By Jack Johnson

Les Arts Florissants celebrate Rameau anniversary

By Nahoko Gotoh, 21 July 2014

This year we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of Rameau’s death and the BBC Proms has invited French Baroque specialists Les Arts Florissants to give a pair of contrasting concerts of his music.

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London

25 Jul 2014

Les Arts Florissants celebrate Rameau anniversary

By Nahoko Gotoh

Dresden

Spontaneity and flare: Monteverdi madrigals in Dresden

By Max Woods, 26 May 2014

Les Arts Florissants performs Monteverdi's Seventh Book of Madrigals with a sense of spontaneity and flare at the Dresdner Musikfestspiele.

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Dresden

29 May 2014

Spontaneity and flare: Monteverdi madrigals in Dresden

By Max Woods

A busker's Platée from Les Arts Florissants in New York

By David Allen, 02 April 2014

A tremendous performance of one of Rameau's great stage works, but one that raised questions about the plot in concert form.

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New York City

03 Apr 2014

A busker's Platée from Les Arts Florissants in New York

By David Allen

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Vienna

Rameau meets Lagerfeld at Vanity Fair: Robert Carsen’s Platée at Theater an der Wien

By Snapdragon, 19 February 2014

Out of the swamp: Marcel Beekman rocks the house in Robert Carsen’s glittering take on Platée.

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Vienna

23 Feb 2014

Rameau meets Lagerfeld at Vanity Fair: Platée at Theater an der Wien

By Snapdragon

A tribute to Handel's protector from William Christie in Paris

By Vesna Gerintes, 19 November 2013

William Christie named this Salle Pleyel concert “Music for Queen Caroline”, a moving tribute to Handel’s friend, protector and patron, Queen Caroline of Great Britain.

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Paris

27 Nov 2013

William Christie in Paris

By Vesna Gerintes

Paris Opera's triple bill: Teshigawara, Brown and Kylián

By Katja Vaghi, 02 November 2013

For this fall season, the Paris Opera Ballet presents a triple bill that explores the hidden corners of the Palais Garnier, with pieces by Saburo Teshigawara, Trisha Brown and Jiří Kylián. All ‘investigators of the fringes of the unknown,’ the three choreographers set in place theatrical devices that mesmerize the audience with enigmatic dreams.

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Paris

05 Nov 2013

Paris Opera's triple bill: Teshigawara, Brown and Kylián

By Katja Vaghi

Le Jardin des Voix: blooming talent in the garden of Rameau at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw

By Nicolas Nguyen, 26 October 2013

In a city where period-instrument concerts are legion, performances by William Christie and his excellent ensemble Les Arts Florissants remain very special events, if only because their original programming brings a breath of fresh air in a country where, still too often, baroque music isn’t taken very seriously if it isn’t Bach.

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Amsterdam

28 Oct 2013

Le Jardin des Voix: blooming talent in the garden of Rameau at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw

By Nicolas Nguyen

Les Arts Florissants perform Monteverdi's Fifth Book of Madrigals at the Barbican

By Emily Owen, 15 June 2013

The singers and instrumentalists of Les Arts Florissants returned to the Barbican stage to rapturous applause and cheers after their performance on Saturday night. “Unfortunately there is simply no more music! We have finished the book!” said the tenor and director of tonight’s ensemble, Paul Agnew.

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London

18 Jun 2013

Les Arts Florissants perform Monteverdi's Fifth Book of Madrigals at the Barbican

By Emily Owen

William Christie's Jardin des Voix in full bloom at BAM

By Stephen Raskauskas, 19 April 2013

Spring has sprung and the arts flourish at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Earlier this week, William Christie and his superb ensemble Les Arts Florissants revived Charpentier’s David et Jonathas, first produced at the 2012 Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (review here).

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New York City

24 Apr 2013

William Christie's Jardin des Voix in full bloom at BAM

By Stephen Raskauskas

Les Arts Florissants bring a stunning David et Jonathas to BAM

By Zerbinetta, 17 April 2013

New York is again lucky to host William Christie and Les Arts Florissants at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Their visits are always special, and it’s not just because the unique nature of their repertory – Baroque opera, usually French, which is neglected by most of New York’s major companies – nor the virtuosic ease with which they embody this otherwise-foreign idiom.

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New York City

19 Apr 2013

Les Arts Florissants bring a stunning David et Jonathas to BAM

By Zerbinetta

Handel's Belshazzar at the Barbican with Les Arts Florissants

By Julia Savage, 13 December 2012

Handel’s Belshazzar was the oratorio of choice for renowned music group Les Arts Florissants at the Barbican last week. The group was famously set up in France in 1979 by the American-born William Christie, eventually becoming an international household name for its critically acclaimed performances and recordings of Baroque operas on period instruments.

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London

18 Dec 2012

Handel's Belshazzar at the Barbican with Les Arts Florissants

By Julia Savage

All-Charpentier evening with Les Arts Florissants in Aix

By Stephen Raskauskas, 10 July 2012

The choir of Les Arts Florissants is composed of some of today’s most dynamic singers, who can sing, act, and even appear in two places at the same time. Well, in a matter of speaking.

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Aix-en-Provence

13 Jul 2012

All-Charpentier evening with Les Arts Florissants in Aix

By Stephen Raskauskas

Charpentier's David et Jonathas in Aix-en-Provence

By Stephen Raskauskas, 06 July 2012

One of the most sophisticated offerings in the 2012 Festival d’Aix-en-Provence is a new production of Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s David et Jonathas.

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Aix-en-Provence

11 Jul 2012

Charpentier's David et Jonathas in Aix-en-Provence

By Stephen Raskauskas

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence opens with new Figaro

By Stephen Raskauskas, 05 July 2012

The 2012 Festival d’Aix-en-Provence began its four-week feast of opera and music with Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro—and could there be better a way? Nothing can beat the sublime company of Mozart, Da Ponte and Beaumarchais on a summer evening in the open-air Théâtre de l'Archevêché.

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Aix-en-Provence

09 Jul 2012

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence opens with new Figaro

By Stephen Raskauskas

Atys, an opera fit for a king

By Zerbinetta, 18 September 2011

In 1676, Louis XIV’s court composer, Jean-Baptiste Lully, wrote Atys, an unusually tragic opera that became a favorite of the king. In 1987, William Christie’s Les Arts Florissants revived it in an acclaimed series of performances in Paris and eventually at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

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New York City

20 Sep 2011

Atys, an opera fit for a king

By Zerbinetta

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Saanen

Ouverture en majesté au Gstaad Menuhin Festival avec Israël en Égypte par Les Arts Florissants

By Romain Daroles, 19 July 2025

Une grande théâtralité transpire de l'interprétation des Arts Florissants dirigés par William Christie et rend l’histoire aussi véridique qu’un film.

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Saanen

21 Jul 2025

Ouverture en majesté au Gstaad Menuhin Festival avec Les Arts Flo

By Romain Daroles

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Salamanca

Jefté revive en la versión de Les Arts Florissants con Paul Agnew en la dirección

By Francisco Martínez Ramos, 12 February 2025

Dos obras del siglo XVII dedicadas a la figura bíblica de Jefté fueron interpretadas con gran éxito en Salamanca por Les Arts Florissants, bajo la dirección de Paul Agnew.

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Salamanca

15 Feb 2025

Jefté revive en la versión de Les Arts Florissants

By Francisco Martínez Ramos

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Toulouse

Sonya Yoncheva et William Christie dans leur bulle à la Halle aux grains

By Arnaud Saura-Ziegelmeyer, 05 November 2024

Les Arts Florissants et la soprano ont célébré le 80e anniversaire du chef avec une plongée à l'époque de Marie-Antoinette. Un concert de haute volée, mais quelque peu déconnecté de la salle.

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Toulouse

06 Nov 2024

Sonya Yoncheva et William Christie dans leur bulle à Toulouse

By Arnaud Saura-Ziegelmeyer

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L’éclatante réussite de Médée par William Christie et David McVicar à l’Opéra de Paris

By Emmanuel Gaillard, 09 May 2024

Distribution exemplaire (dont Lea Desandre dans le rôle-titre), orchestre, chœur et chef aux petits oignons, mise en scène intelligente : le génial opéra de Charpentier fait une grandiose entrée au répertoire de la Grande Boutique.

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Paris

16 May 2024

L’éclatante réussite de Médée par Christie et McVicar à Garnier

By Emmanuel Gaillard

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Les Arts Florissants dan una muestra de excelencia con los solistas de Le Jardin des Voix

By Jorge Baeza Stanicic, 14 January 2024

Un montaje semiescenificado de The Fairy Queen complementó una brillante ejecución tanto instrumental como vocal bajo la atenta dirección de William Christie.

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Madrid

16 Jan 2024

Excelentes Les Arts Florissants y Le Jardin des Voix en el CNDM

By Jorge Baeza Stanicic

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Utrecht

HIP und Hip ist hip: Les Arts Florissants mit Purcells The Fairy Queen in Utrecht

By Jens Klier, 30 August 2023

Bei Christie und Merzouki verschwammen die inneren und äußeren Grenzen der Rollen und Stile, um eine unvergessliche Gemeinschaft eines fabelhaften, zeitlosen Feengartens zu schaffen.

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Utrecht

31 Aug 2023

HIP und Hip ist hip: Les Arts Florissants mit PurcellsThe Fairy Queen

By Jens Klier

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Beaune

Grand cru 2023 à Beaune avec Eva Zaïcik, l’Ensemble Matheus et les Arts Florissants

By Beate Langenbruch, 23 July 2023

Le récital d'Eva Zaïcik avec Les Épopées restera dans les annales beaunoises, de même que la version de concert très incarnée de Didon et Énée par les Arts Florissants.

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Beaune

25 Jul 2023

Grand cru à Beaune avec Eva Zaïcik, Matheus et les Arts Florissants

By Beate Langenbruch

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Barcelona

Dioses y mortales en el Mediterráneo: el simbólico Dido & Aeneas de Blanca Li y William Christie en el Gran Teatre del Liceu

By Maria Sánchez, 17 June 2023

Simbolista y abstacta, la historia imposible de Dido y Eneas por el tándem Li-Christie llevó a escena una representación en la que impera lo poético de las emociones.

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Barcelona

18 Jun 2023

Simbólico Dido & Aeneas de Li y Christie en el Liceu

By Maria Sánchez

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Un amor bajo el signo del claroscuro: Dido y Eneas de Li y Christie en Canal

By Leonardo Mattana Ereño, 17 January 2023

Blanca Li propone una puesta en escena crepuscular, intensa y claroscural en la nueva producción de Dido y Aeneas.

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Madrid

18 Jan 2023

Un amor bajo el signo del claroscuro: Dido y Eneas en Canal

By Leonardo Mattana Ereño

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Auf Erden im Himmel: Les Arts Florissants bei der NTR ZaterdagMatinee in Amsterdam

By Jens Klier, 19 November 2022

Mit 78 Jahren, da fängt... William Christie Telemanns Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu grandios ein und huldigt erneut Händel.

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Amsterdam

20 Nov 2022

Auf Erden im Himmel: Les Arts Florissants in Amsterdam

By Jens Klier

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Ambronay

Au Festival d'Ambronay, les Arts Flo protéiformes, Paul Agnew resplendissant

By Clara Leonardi, 17 September 2022

Paul Agnew tire le meilleur de ses Arts Florissants au Festival d’Ambronay, dans les madrigaux audacieux de Schütz comme dans quatre plus classiques Cantates de Bach.

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Ambronay

19 Sep 2022

Au Festival d'Ambronay, les Arts Florissants protéiformes

By Clara Leonardi

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Händels goldene Mitte: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato mit Les Arts Florissants

By Jens Klier, 11 December 2021

Die Interpretation beeindruckte mit dramatischem Farbenspiel, Balance, Dynamik und Gespür für Wettkampf sowie einer großen Portion Augenzwinkern.

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Amsterdam

12 Dec 2021

Händels goldene Mitte: L'Allegro mit Les Arts Florissants

By Jens Klier

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Le Grand Siècle de William Christie à la Philharmonie

By Philippe Ramin, 11 November 2021

Avec les psaumes de Charpentier et le Requiem de Campra, William Christie et les Arts Florissants montrent leur habituel savoir-faire mais également l'évolution qu'ils ont suivie depuis trente ans.

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Paris

15 Nov 2021

Le Grand Siècle de William Christie à la Philharmonie

By Philippe Ramin

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La Coruña

Luces y sombras en el Partenope de William Christie

By Pablo Sánchez Quinteiro, 02 October 2021

La Programación Lírica de A Coruña cierra su edición con la divertida ópera de Handel Partenope.

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La Coruña

17 Oct 2021

Luces y sombras en el Partenope de William Christie

By Pablo Sánchez Quinteiro

Thiré

William Christie, magicien d'eau, fait chanter les sirènes dans Partenope de Haendel

By Philippe Ramin, 21 August 2021

Sur le miroir d'eau, au cœur des jardins de William Christie, Les Arts Florissants et les lauréats du Jardin des Voix ont donné une Partenope d'anthologie.

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Thiré

24 Aug 2021

William Christie, magicien d'eau, fait chanter les sirènes de Haendel

By Philippe Ramin

Chantonnay

Wieder auf Anfang: Paul Agnews imaginäre Marienvesper Vivaldis mit Les Arts Florissants

By Jens Klier, 24 April 2021

Chor und Orchester von Les Arts Florissants und Violinsolistin Troman ließen die Blüten des Frühlings und der Musik Vivaldis sprießen.

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Chantonnay

25 Apr 2021

Wieder auf Anfang: Paul Agnews imaginäre Marienvesper Vivaldis

By Jens Klier

Le délicieux pasticcio du Festival de Pâques d'Aix-en-Provence

By François Jestin, 31 March 2021

En compagnie de William Christie et ses Arts Florissants, la mezzo Lea Desandre et le contre-ténor Jakub Józef Orliński ont réservé une soirée délectable avec leur programme très original.

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Aix-en-Provence

01 Apr 2021

Le délicieux pasticcio du Festival de Pâques d'Aix-en-Provence

By François Jestin

Bestes sakrales Recycling: Monteverdi-Madrigale nach Coppini von Les Arts Florissants

By Jens Klier, 17 February 2021

Wenn es in einem ansprechenden Programm schwer fällt, einzelne Höhepunkte herauszugreifen, haben die Ausführenden Größtes vollbracht: Herz und Geist ergriffen.

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Paris

18 Feb 2021

Sakrales Recycling: Monteverdi-Madrigale von Les Arts Florissants

By Jens Klier