Polished, but no cracker

By Olivia Bell, 21 December 2016

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Reviewed at Barbican Hall, London on 19 December 2016

Handel, Messiah

Les Arts Florissants

William Christie, Conductor

Katherine Watson, Soprano

Emmanuelle de Negri, Soprano

Carlo Vistoli, Countertenor

Samuel Boden, Tenor

Konstantin Wolff, Bass

Les Arts Florissants play an abbreviated Christmas Oratorio in Paris

Simon Thompson, 13th December

Vigour and vibrato: Les Arts Florissant bring gallic refinement to Bach’s Christmas Oratorio at the Philharmonie de Paris.

****1

Gesualdo Passione with Les Arts Florissants

David Karlin, 16th October

Fusing the Renaissance polyphony of Les Arts Florissants with the contemporary dance of Compagnie Amala Dianor was an ambitious experiment, which displayed great virtues but didn't quite come off.

***11

Pop goes Purcell: Les Arts Flo serve up an intoxicating cocktail

Michelle Assay, 11th July

The Toronto Summer Music Festival opens with Les Arts Florissants’ enchanting performance of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, featuring the singers of Le Jardin des voix and the dancers of Compagnie Käfig.

*****

Epiphany meditation from Paul Agnew and Les Arts Florissants

David Karlin, 5th January

In the intimate setting of Lauenen Church, Agnew and Les Arts Florissants introduce us to the austere sound world of Marc-Antoine Charpentier and other French composers of 17th-century sacred music.

***11

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

Roy Westbrook, 14th March

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

****1

Les Arts Florissants dazzle in Handel’s Partenope in Lucerne

Laura Servidei, 3rd September

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

***11

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Olivia Bell

Olivia has recently graduated as Senior choral Scholar from Queens' College, Cambridge, where she read English and became Culture Editor at the Tab. A freelance soprano, she currently works as a content editor at the Telegraph.

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