Les Arts Florissants is a

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

musical ensemble A musical ensemble, also known as a music group or musical group, is a group of people who perform instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist solely of instrumentalists, ...

in residence at the Théâtre de Caen in

Caen Caen (, ; nrf, Kaem) is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inhabitants (), while its functional urban area has 470,000,France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The organization was founded by conductor William Christie in 1979. The ensemble derives its name from the 1685 opera '' Les Arts florissants'' by

Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...

. The organization consists of a

chamber orchestra Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numbe ...

period instruments In the historically informed performance movement, musicians perform classical music using restored or replicated versions of the instruments for which it was originally written. Often performances by such musicians are said to be "on authentic ...

and a small vocal ensemble. Current notable members include

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

Danielle de Niese Danielle de Niese (born 11 April 1979) is an Australian-American lyric soprano. After success as a young child in singing competitions in Australia, she moved to the United States where she developed an operatic career. From 2005 she came to wi ...

and

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

Paul Agnew Paul Agnew (born 1964 in Glasgow) is a Scottish operatic tenor and conductor. Biography Agnew read music as a Choral Scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with various groups specializing in early music (Ex Cathedra, the ...

, who has served as assistant conductor since 2007. Jonathan Cohen is also on the conducting staff; Christie remains the organization's Artistic Director.

Work

Although not specifically a

Baroque opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a ...

ensemble, it is within this field that Les Arts Florissants has achieved its greatest successes. The majority of the ensemble's performances are of period operas (both staged and in concert), many of which are available on CD on the

Harmonia Mundi Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group. Its Latin name ''ha ...

and

Erato In Greek mythology, Erato (; grc, Ἐρατώ) is one of the Greek Muses, which were inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. The name would mean "desired" or "lovely", if derived from the same root as Eros, as Apollonius o ...

labels and on DVD. The group first drew international acclaim in the area of opera in December 1986-January 1987 with a production of

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, ; – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, guitarist, violinist, and dancer who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he ...

's '' Atys'' at the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief rival, the Comédie-Italienne ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

. The opera had not been performed since 1753 and Christie had unearthed the score at the

Bibliothèque nationale de France The Bibliothèque nationale de France (, 'National Library of France'; BnF) is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as ''Richelieu'' and ''François-Mitterrand''. It is the national repository ...

and created a performing edition. William Christie: "There were a number of important moments in the history of the Arts Florissants, but there's one moment that obviously stands out – and that's the moment when we produced ''Atys''." Christie had been approached by the director of the

Paris Opera The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...

Massimo Bogianckino Massimo Bogianckino (10 November 1922 – 8 December 2009) was an Italian pianist, artistic director, and politician. Life Born in Rome of Romanian origin on his father's side, descendant on his mother's side from the family of Gabriele D'Annun ...

, to think about putting on a Lully opera. Christie was advised by the Opéra-Comique's Thierry Fouquet that Quinault's libretto for ''Atys'' would demand an extraordinary stage director – Jean-Marie Villégier took this roleLes Arts Florissants ou La Bande à Bill, film by Reiner E. Moritz, 2005 and he, together with Christie, created ''Atys''. The production marked the renaissance of Baroque opera in France. The ensemble has continued in a similar vein, by presenting the world premiere of

's opéra ''

Médée ''Médée'' is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Pierre Corneille in 1635. Summary The heroine of the play is the sorceress Médée. After Médée gives Jason twin boys, Jason leaves her for Creusa. Médée ...

'' in 1993 and many rarely heard works at their home in Caen and on the stages of major opera houses and concert venues like the

Teatro Real The Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) is an opera house in Madrid, Spain. Located at the Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace of Madrid, Royal Palace, and known colloquially as ''El Real'', it is considered the top institution of the performing a ...

, the

Opéra national du Rhin The Opéra national du Rhin is an opera company which performs in Alsace, eastern France. It includes the Opéras in Strasbourg, in Mulhouse, where the Ballet de l'Opéra national du Rhin, also known as the Ballet Du Rhin, is based, and in Colmar, ...

, the

Opéra National de Paris The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

, the

Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a performing arts venue in Brooklyn, New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant-garde performance. It presented its first performance in 1861 and began operations in its present location in ...

, and the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhi ...

. The ensemble also occasionally presents works from the standard repertoire, most particularly a number of operas by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

Les Arts Florissants has also had a number of successes in the concert repertoire. The organization has performed and recorded a number of

oratorio An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of ...

madrigals A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance (15th–16th c.) and early Baroque (1600–1750) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The polyphonic madrigal is unaccompanied, and the number ...

mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...

es,

motet In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the pre-eminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to Margar ...

s, and other musical forms typical of early music. Occasionally, the ensemble has made forays into contemporary repertoire, notably performing the world premiere of

Betsy Jolas Elizabeth Jolas (born 5 August 1926) is a Franco-American composer. Biography Jolas was born in Paris in 1926. Her mother, the American translator Maria McDonald, was a singer. Her father, the poet and journalist Eugene Jolas, founded and edited ...

's ''Motets III - Hunc igitur terrorem'' at a gala on the occasion of the ensemble's 20th anniversary in 1999. Many former members of Les Arts Florissants have gone on to have successful music careers outside of the organization. These include several internationally renowned conductors in the field of

early music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classical m ...

such as Marc Minkowski (founder of

Les Musiciens du Louvre Les Musiciens du Louvre (literally ''The Musicians of the Louvre'') is a French period instrument ensemble, formed in 1982. Originally based in Paris, since 1996 it has been based in the Couvent des Minimes in Grenoble. ''The Guardian'' considers ...

Christophe Rousset Christophe Rousset (; born 12 April 1961) is a French harpsichordist and conductor, who specializes in the performance of Baroque music on period instruments. He is also a musicologist, particularly of opera and European music of the 17th and 18 ...

(founder of

Les Talens Lyriques The French musical ensemble Les Talens Lyriques was created in 1991 in Paris, France, by the harpsichordist and orchestral conductor Christophe Rousset. This instrumental and vocal formation derives its name from the subtitle of '' Les fêtes d'H� ...

Hugo Reyne Hugo Reyne (born in 1961) is a contemporary French recorder player, oboist and conductor. He is the founder and music director of La Simphonie du Marais. Biography Born in Paris, Hugo Reyne began learning the flute and oboe at a very young a ...

(founder of

La Simphonie du Marais La Simphonie du Marais is a French music ensemble established in 1987 by recorder player Hugo Reyne. Today, it is located in the Logis de la Chabotterie of Saint-Sulpice-le-Verdon in Vendée. It performs exclusively vocal and instrumental Baroq ...

), and

Hervé Niquet Hervé Niquet (born 28 October 1957) is a French conductor, harpsichordist, tenor, and the director of Le Concert Spirituel, specializing in French Baroque music. Biography Born on 28 October 1957, Hervé Niquet was raised at Abbeville in the ...

(founder of

Le Concert Spirituel Le Concert Spirituel is a French ensemble specialising in works of baroque music, played on period instruments. Founded by Hervé Niquet in 1987, it is named after the 18th-century concert series Concert Spirituel. The group performs internation ...

Partial list of productions

*1982: ''Les arts florissants'' (Charpentier) *1983: ''Dido and Aeneas'' (Purcell) *1983: ''Il Ballo delle Ingrate'' (Monteverdi) *1985: ''Actéon'' (Charpentier) *1985: ''Anacréon'' (Rameau) *1985: ''La Passion selon Saint-Jean'' (Bach) *1986: ''Actéon (Charpentier) *1986: ''Anacréon'' (Rameau) *1986: ''Atys'' (Lully) *1987: ''Atys'' (Lully) *1989: ''Atys'' (Lully) *1989: ''The Fairy Queen'' (Purcell) *1990: ''Les Indes galantes'' (Rameau) *1990: ''Le Malade imaginaire'' (Charpentier) *1990: ''Les Indes galantes'' (Rameau) *1991: ''Castor et Pollux'' (Rameau) *1992: ''Atys'' (Lully) *1993: ''Médée'' (Charpentier) *1993: ''Orlando'' (Handel) *1993: ''Les Indes galantes'' (Rameau) *1994: ''Médée'' (Charpentier) *1994: ''Die Zauberflöte'' (Mozart) *1994: ''Médée'' (Charpentier) *1995: ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' (Mozart) *1995: ''Die Zauberflöte'' (Mozart) *1995: ''King Arthur'' (Purcell) *1996: ''Acis and Galatea'' (Handel) *1996: ''Alcina'' (Handel) *1996: ''Hippolyte et Aricie'' (Rameau) *1996: ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' (Mozart) *1996: ''Semele'' (Handel) *1997: ''Hippolyte et Aricie'' (Rameau) *1997: ''Le Nozze di Figaro'' (Mozart) *1998: ''Les Pèlerins de la Mecque'' (Gluck) *1999: ''Les Indes galantes'' (Rameau) *1999: ''Alcina'' (Handel) *2000: ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'' (Monteverdi) *2000: ''Les Indes galantes'' (Rameau) *2001: ''Il Tito'' (Cesti) *2002: ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'' (Monteverdi) *2002: ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'' (Monteverdi) *2003: ''Les Boréades'' (Rameau) *2003: ''Les Indes galantes'' (Rameau) *2003: ''Serse'' (Handel) *2004: ''Les Paladins'' (Rameau) *2004: ''Hercules'' (Handel) *2006: ''Hercules'' (Handel) *2006: ''Die Zauberflöte'' (Mozart) *2006: ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' (Mozart) *2008: ''Armide'' (Lully) *2010: ''The Fairy Queen'' (Purcell) *2012 David et Jonathas (Charpentier) Festival d'Aix en Provence *2015: ''Un Jardin à l'Italienne''

Discography

*''Caecelia, virgo et martyr'' H.413, ''Filius prodigus ''H.399, ''Magnificat'' à 3 voix H.73'',''

, Harmonia Mundi, 1979 *''Cantique de Moÿse ; Veni sponsa mea ; Trois fantaisies à quatre pour les violes ; Espoir de toute âme affligée ; O bone Jesu,''

Étienne Moulinié Étienne Moulinié (10 October 1599 – 1676) was a French Baroque composer. He was born in Languedoc, and when he was a child he sang at the Narbonne Cathedral. Through the influence of his brother Antoine (died 1655), Moulinié gained an app ...

, Harmonia Mundi, 1980 *''Madrigaux des VIIe et VIIIe livres'',

Claudio Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is considered ...

, Harmonia Mundi, 1981 *''Pastorale sur la naissance de N.S. Jesus-Christ,'' H.483 ''; In nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi canticum'' H.414 ; ''Magnificat à 3 voix,'' H.73'','' Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi 1982 *'' Actéon'' H.481, ''Intermèdes pour Le mariage forcé'' H.494 ii,

, Harmonia Mundi 1982 *''Les Antiennes "O"'' d''e l'Avent'' H.36 - H.43, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, LP Harmonia Mundi, 1982. Grand prix du disque académie Charles Cros. * '' Anacréon ballet en un acte'',

Jean-Philippe Rameau Jean-Philippe Rameau (; – ) was a French composer and music theory, music theorist. Regarded as one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the 18th century, he replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of Fr ...

, Harmonia Mundi, 1982 *'' Les Arts florissants ''H.487, Ouverture de ''la Comtesse d'Escarbagnas'' H.494 i ''& Intermèdes nouveaux du Mariage forcé'' H.494 ii, Marc-Antoine Charpentier Harmonia Mundi, 1982 *''Un Oratorio de Noël ; In nativitatem Domini canticum,'' H.416'' ; Sur la naissance de Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ'' H.482 de Marc Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1983 *''Ballo delle ingrate : livre VIII des madrigaux ; Sestina'', Claudio Monteverdi, Harmonia Mundi, 1983 *''

'' H.491, tragédie lyrique en un prologue et cinq actes, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1984 - 2019 **Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros, La Référence Compcact magazine, Sélection Télérama ''ffff'', Diapason d'or, Le Timbre d'Argent de la revue Opéra, Diamant de Harmonie panorama musique,

Gramophone award The Gramophone Classical Music Awards, launched in 1977, are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry. They are often viewed as equivalent to or surpassing the American Grammy award, and refer ...

1985, International Record Critics Award Montreux 1985, Prix Opus 1985 USA, Choc de Classica 2019 *''Le Reniement de Saint Pierre'' H.424 ''; Méditations pour la Carême'' H.380 - H.389, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1985 *''Missa Assumpta est Maria'' H.11, ''Domine salvum'' H.303'','' ''Litanies de la Vierge'' H.83, ''Te deum'' H.146, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi 1988 *''Madrigal classique, madrigal soliste, comédie madrigalesque. L’âge d’or du madrigal'', Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1998 *''Madrigaux à 5 voix'', Carlo Gesualdo, prince de Venosa, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1988 *

The Fairy-Queen ''The Fairy-Queen'' (1692; Purcell catalogue number Z.629) is a semi-opera by Henry Purcell; a "Restoration spectacular". The libretto is an anonymous adaptation of William Shakespeare's comedy ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. First performed ...

, Henry Purcell, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1989 *''Oratorio per la Settimana Santa ; Un peccator pentito'', Luigi Rossi, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1989 *''Les antiennes "O" de l'Avent :'' H.36 à H.43 ''; Noël sur les instruments :'' H.534'' ; In Nativitatem D.N.J.C. canticum :'' H.414, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Arles, CD Harmonia Mundi, 1990 *''

Le Malade imaginaire ''The Imaginary Invalid'', ''The Hypochondriac'', or ''The Would-Be Invalid'' (French title ''Le Malade imaginaire'', ) is a three- act ''comédie-ballet'' by the French playwright Molière with dance sequences and musical interludes (H.495, H.49 ...

'' H.495, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1990 *''Cantates'',

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (19 December 1676 – 26 October 1749) was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born, and died, in Paris. Biography Clérambault came from a musical family (his father and two of his sons ...

, Harmonia Mundi, 1990 *''Te Deum ; Super flumina Babilonis ; Confitebor tibi Domine'',

Michel-Richard Delalande Michel Richard Delalande e Lalande'' (; 15 December 1657 – 18 June 1726) was a French Baroque composer and organist who was in the service of King Louis XIV. He was one of the most important composers of grands motets. He also wrote ...

, Harmonia Mundi, 1991 *''Les vingt figures réthoriques icd'une passion XX^e festival de Saintes'',

Francesco Cavalli Francesco Cavalli (born Pietro Francesco Caletti-Bruni; 14 February 1602 – 14 January 1676) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian composer, organist and singer of the early Baroque music, Baroque period. He succeeded his teacher Claudio Monteverd ...

Luigi Rossi Luigi Rossi (c. 1597 – 20 February 1653) was an Italian Baroque composer. Born in Torremaggiore, a small town near Foggia, in the ancient kingdom of Naples, at an early age he went to Naples where he studied music with the Franco-Flemish comp ...

, et al. .l. K. 617, 1991 *''

Orfeo Orfeo Classic Schallplatten und Musikfilm GmbH of Munich was a German independent classical record label founded in 1979 by Axel Mehrle and launched in 1980. It has been owned by Naxos since 2015. History The Orfeo music label was registered ...

'', Luigi Rossi, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1991 *''Pièces de clavecin (1724) Les Indes galantes: suite d'orchestre ; Anacréon : ballet en un acte, scène 5 ; In convertendo, grand motet'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 *''Pygmalion ; Nélée et Myrthis'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 *''Rameau'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi Plus, 1992 *''Motets & Madrigaux Il ballo delle ingrate ; Selva morale ; L'incoronazione di Poppea'', Claudio Monteverdi, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 *''Airs de cour'' (1689),

Michel Lambert Michel Lambert (1610 – 29 June 1696) was a French singing master, theorbist and composer. Career Lambert was born at Champigny-sur-Veude, France. He received his musical education as an altar boy at the Chapel of Gaston d'Orléans, a brother of ...

, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 *''

Idoménée ''Idoménée'' (English: ''Idomeneus'') is an opera by the French composer André Campra. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts. ''Idoménée'' was first performed on 12 January 1712 by the Académie royale de ...

'', André Campra, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 *'' Atys,'' tragédie lyrique en un prologue et cinq actes ''; Dies Irae ; Petits motets ; Airs pour le clavecin'',

Jean Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, ; – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, guitarist, violinist, and dancer who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, ...

, Harmonia Mundi, 1993 *''Lully'', Jean Baptiste Lully, Arles, France : Harmonia Mundi, 1993 *''Te Deum ; motets'', Guillaume Bouzignac, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1993 * ''King Arthur'', Henry Purcell, .l.n.d. 1995''Baroque festival vol. 1.''Firenze, CD Classica, 1993 *''

'' H.491'','' tragédie lyrique en un prologue et cinq actes, Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Erato 1994 **10 de Répertoire, Choc du Monde de la Musique, Diapason d'or, Diamant Opéra magazine. *''A Purcell companion'',

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1994 *''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...

'', George Frideric Handel, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1994 *'' Dido & Æneas'', Henry Purcell, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1994 *''

Concerti grossi The concerto grosso (; Italian language, Italian for ''big concert(o)'', plural ''concerti grossi'' ) is a form of baroque music in which the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists (the ''#Concertino, concertino'') and full orc ...

op. 6'', George Frideric Handel, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1995 *''

Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

: KV. 626, Ave verum corpus : KV 618, Introitus, Kyrie, Dies irae (excerpts)'', Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Paris, Erato, 1995 *''Jefferson in Paris'', Richard Robbins, New York, Angel, 1995 *'' La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers'' H.488, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Erato, 1995 *''

Les Plaisirs de Versailles ''Les plaisirs de Versailles'' H.480 (English: ''The Pleasures of Versailles'') is a short opera (or ''divertissement'') by the French composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier. It was intended for performance at the new courtly entertainment known as ''l ...

'' H.480, ''Airs sur les Stances du Cid'' H.457 - H.458 - H.459, ''Amor vince ogni cosa'' H.492'','' Erato 1996 *''

Il Sant'Alessio ''Il Sant'Alessio'' (''Saint Alexius'') is an opera in three acts composed by Stefano Landi in 1631 with a libretto by Giulio Rospigliosi (the future Pope Clement IX). Its first performance was probably in February 1632. ''Sant'Alessio'' was the f ...

'',

Stefano Landi Stefano Landi (baptized 26 February 1587 – 28 October 1639) was an Italian composer and teacher of the early Baroque Roman School. He was an influential early composer of opera, and wrote the earliest opera on a historical subject: '' Il ...

, Paris, Erato, 1996 *''De Lully à Rameau'', Jean Baptiste Lully, et al. Harmonia Mundi, 1996 *''Il Ballo delle ingrate Sestina'', Claudio Monteverdi, Harmonia Mundi, 1996 *''

Die Zauberflöte ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that includ ...

KV 620'', Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Erato, 1996 *''

Hippolyte et Aricie ('' Hippolytus and Aricia'') was the first opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was premiered to great controversy by the Académie Royale de Musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal in Paris on October 1, 1733. The French libretto, by Abbé S ...

'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Erato, 1997 *''

Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda ''Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda'' (''The Combat of Tancredi and Clorinda''), SV 153, is an operatic ''scena'' for three voices by Claudio Monteverdi. The libretto is drawn from Torquato Tasso's ''La Gerusalemme Liberata''. It was firs ...

'', Claudio Monteverdi, Harmonia Mundi, 1997 * ''Leçons de ténèbres'',

François Couperin François Couperin (; 10 November 1668 – 11 September 1733) was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as ''Couperin le Grand'' ("Couperin the Great") to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented ...

, Erato, 1997 *''Petits motets'',

, Harmonia Mundi, 1997 *''Le Grand Siècle français musique au temps de Louis XIV'' de Kenneth Gilbert, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1997 *'' Les Fêtes d’Hébé'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, .l.s.n. 1997 *''Divertissements, airs et concerts,'' ''Il faut rire et chanter, dispute de bergers'' H.424, ''La Pierre philosophale'' H.501, + (H.469, H.467, H.442, H.449 b, H.462, H.452, H.443, H.441, H.455, H.467, H.446, H.447, H.454, H.461, H.545) de Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Paris, Erato, 1998 *''

David et Jonathas ''David et Jonathas'' (''David and Jonathan''), H. 490, is an opera in five acts and a prologue by the French composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier, first performed at the Collège Louis-le-Grand, Paris, on 28 February 1688. The libretto, by ...

'' H.490, tragédie lyrique en cinq actes, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1998 *''Voyage en Italie : deux siècles de musique à Rome, Venise, Ferrare, 1550-1750'', Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1998 *''La musique sacrée à travers les âges'', Marc-Antoine Charpentier et al., .l. Harmonia Mundi, 1998 *''Musique de ballet 1979-1999 : 20e anniversaire Les Arts Florissants'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Paris, Erato, 1999 *'' Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, Schäfer, Petibon, Christie'', Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, .l.n.d 1999 *''Soleil, musiques au siècle de Louis XIV'', Paris, Erato, 1999 *''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'',

, Paris, Erato, 1999 * ''Great Mass in C minor K.427'', Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Paris, Erato, 1999 *'' Acis and Galatea'',

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...

, Paris, Erato, 1999 *''

Castor et Pollux ''Castor et Pollux'' (''Castor and Pollux'') is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 24 October 1737 by the Académie royale de musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal in Paris. The librettist was Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard ...

: chœurs et danses'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1999 *''Cantates françaises,''

André Campra André Campra (; baptized 4 December 1660 – 29 June 1744) was a French composer and conductor of the Baroque era. The leading French opera composer in the period between Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau, Campra wrote several '' tra ...

, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 2000 *'' Messe de minuit'' H.9, ''In nativitatem Domini canticum'' H.416, ''Noël sur les instruments'' H.531 N° 2, H.534 N° 3,4,6. Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Erato 2000 *''Grands Motets lorrains pour Louis XIV'', Henry Desmarest, Paris, Erato, 2000 *''

Alcina ''Alcina'' ( HWV 34) is a 1735 opera seria by George Frideric Handel. Handel used the libretto of ''L'isola di Alcina'', an opera that was set in 1728 in Rome by Riccardo Broschi, which he acquired the year after during his travels in Italy. P ...

'', George Frideric Handel, Paris, Erato, 2000 *''

Zoroastre ''Zoroastre'' (''Zoroaster'') is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 5 December 1749 by the Opéra in the first Salle du Palais-Royal in Paris. The libretto is by Louis de Cahusac. ''Zoroastre'' was the fourth of Rameau's '' trag ...

'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Paris, Erato, 2002 *''

Jephté ''Jephté'' (''Jephtha'') is an opera by the French composer Michel Pignolet de Montéclair. It takes the form of a ''tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts (because of its subject matter it was also styled a ''tragédie biblique''). Th ...

'',

Michel Pignolet de Montéclair Michel Pignolet de Montéclair (4 December 1667 – 22 September 1737) was a French composer of the baroque period. He was born Michel Pignolet in Andelot, Haute-Marne, France, and only later added "Montéclair" (the name of a fortress in hi ...

, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 2002 *''Les divertissements de Versailles'', Jean-Baptiste Lully, Erato, 2002 * ''Theodora'', George Frideric Handel, Paris, Erato, 2003 *''Grands Motets'', André Campra, Virgin Classics, 2003 *''

Selva morale e spirituale ''Selva morale e spirituale'' (Stattkus-Verzeichnis, SV 252–288) is the short title of a collection of sacred music by the Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi, published in Venice in 1640 and 1641. The title translates to "Moral and Spiritual F ...

'', Claudio Monteverdi, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 2003 *''Violin Sonatas'', George Frideric Handel, Virgin Classics, 2003 *''

Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in patria ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'' (Stattkus-Verzeichnis, SV 325, ''The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland'') is an List of operas by Claudio Monteverdi, opera consisting of a prologue and five acts (later revised to three), set by Claudio Montever ...

'', Claudio Monteverdi, .l. Virgin Classics, 2003 *''Marc-Antoine Charpentier'', Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 2004 *''

Serse ''Serse'' (; English title: ''Xerxes''; HWV 40) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. It was first performed in London on 15 April 1738. The Italian libretto was adapted by an unknown hand from that by Silvio Stampiglia (1 ...

'', George Frideric Handel, Virgin Classics, 2004 *''

Les Boréades ''Les Boréades'' is a ''tragédie lyrique mise en musique'', or a lyric tragedy put into music, a type of opera, in five acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764). It is the last of his five such works. The libretto, attributed to Louis de Cahusac ...

'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Waldron, Opus Arte, 2004 * ''Le Coffret du Tricentenaire '', Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 2004 *''Louis XIV Musique à Versailles au temps du Roi Soleil'', .l. Harmonia Mundi, 2004 *''Grand Office des Morts '' H.2, H.12, H.311,''

Te Deum The "Te Deum" (, ; from its incipit, , ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to AD 387 authorship, but with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Ch ...

''H.146, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Virgin Classics, 2005 *''Salve Regina - Petits Motets,'' Andre Campra, Francois Couperin, Virgin Classics, 2005 *''

Les Indes galantes (French: "The Amorous Indies") is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau with a libretto by Louis Fuzelier. It takes the form of an ''opéra-ballet'' with a prologue and (in its final form) four ''entrées'' (acts). Following an allegorical prologue, ...

'', Jean-Philippe Rameau, Waldron, Opus Arte, 2005 *''Chansons de la Renaissance'', Harmonia Mundi, 2005 *''Judicium Salomonis'' H.422''-'' (''Solomon's judgement''), ''Motet pour une longue Offrande'' H.434, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Virgin Classics, 2006 *''Handel Arias'', George Frideric Handel, Decca, 2007''Le Jardin des Voix, ''Virgin Classics, 2006 * ''Le Jardin des voix'', William Christie, .l. Virgin Classics, 2006''Opera's first master The musical dramas of Claudio Monteverdi'', Claudio Monteverdi, Pompton Plains, Amadeus Press, 2006 *''Un oratorio de Noël In Nativitatem Domini Canticum'' H.416, ''Les Antiennes "O" de l'avent'' H.36 à H.43, ''Noëls pour les instruments'' H.534, ''Sur la Naissance de Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ'' H.482 de Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Arles, Harmonia Mundi (1982 - 1983) 2021

Sources

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References

External links

Official websiteOfficial resources website of Les Arts Florissants, with free scores, audio and video files, texts, photos...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arts Florissants, Les Mixed early music groups Musical groups established in 1979 French opera companies Musical groups from Normandy 1979 establishments in France Erato Records artists Articles containing video clips