Les Arts Florissants William Christie, Music Director and Harpsichord Sophie Daneman, Stage Direction

Home , Christophe Dumaux, Erato (dryad), Paul Agnew, Sophie Daneman, Te Deum (Charpentier), Vivica Genaux

Thursday, November 9, 201 7, 8pm Zellerbach Hall Les Arts Florissants William Christie, music director and harpsichord Sophie Daneman, stage direction

PROGRAM

Actéon by Marc -Antoine Charpentier (1643 –1704) Actéon Reinoud Van Mechelen Diane Elodie Fonnard* Junon Lea Desandre* Hyale Maud Gnidzaz Arthébuze Rachel Redmond* Daphné Virginie Thomas Chasseur Renato Dolcini*

INTERMISSION

Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell (1659 –1695) Dido Lea Desandre* Belinda Rachel Redmond* Second Woman Elodie Fonnard* Aeneas Renato Dolcini* Sorceress Carlo Vistoli* First Witch Maud Gnidzaz Second Witch Virginie Thomas Spirit/Sailor Reinoud Van Mechelen

* former laureate of Le Jardin des Voix, Les Arts Florissants’ academy for young singers

Cal Performances dedicates this performance to the memory of Ross E. Armstrong, beloved trustee and longtime subscriber and donor, who passed away on August 29, 2017. Ross, in turn, had dedicated this performance in memory of his spouse and partner of 32 years, Jonas (Jay) K. Stern, who pre-deceased Ross in 2015. Major support provided by The Bernard Osher Foundation. Cal Performances’ 2017 –18 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

PROGRAM NOTES

Actéon certain things in it incite us to other deductions: Within the last few years, Marc -Antoine Char - for instance, the Plainte in the fourth scene pentier has become the most recorded French mentions “no flutes.” Might one not also ima - composer of the Grand siecle. Paradoxically, he gine two supplementary flutes in the Princess’ has remained a rather elusive figure and this ensemble? “forgotten French composer,” whom Claude Nonetheless, one must continue to assume a Crussard rediscovered in 1945, scarcely emerges small ensemble. Thus, in the chorus of hunters, from his realm of the “lyrical shades.” “quelle ardeur du soleil,” we find small dif - it cannot be denied that this resurrection of fer ences in the harpsichord and the viol parts: Charpentier continues to surprise us. His work, “The small notes are for the viol, the large ones which touches on so many different domains, for the harpsichord.” This mention of “the viol” seems to have survived virtually intact in the confirms that Actéon was originally intended celebrated manuscripts in the biblioth¡èque for a small band. it is this kind of band that the nationale de France in Paris. but the history of Music Master recommends to Monsieur Jour - these works remains to be uncovered. in fact, dain, who aspires to become like “the folk of apart from a few rare monuments such as the quality” in Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme : “You will Médée or David et Jonathas , it is difficult to need three voices, a soprano, a countertenor, situate these works now being rescued from and a bass, who will be accompanied by a bass oblivion, either in time or place. viol, a theorbo, and a harpsichord for the basso Charpentier’s career is linked to three main continua, and with two treble violins to play locations: between 1679 –80 he was in charge the ritornelli.” of the sacred music of the Dauphin, as well as of Having said this, the dramatic dimensions of the music of the Princess de Guise. in 1684 Actéon make it a work that exceeds the limits of he entered the service of the Jesuits of the Rue a “private” musical establishment. The per - st Antoine. When did he write Actéon ? We do formance today is aimed at a larger audience, know that certain works of this kind were such as that of the Jesuit College. At the same written for the entertainment of the Princess time, the ensemble avoids all pretensions to de Guise, such as the musical idyll Les Arts larger vocal and instrumental forces. Even Florissants , which is scored for the instrumental the choruses are composed of groups of soloists. forces maintained by this noble personage (two All the instrumental sections are limited to a treble viols, harpsichord, and bass viol). An scoring in trio. it is even possible to assume a examination of the score of Actéon gives us categorical rejection of all pompous ostentation. no immediate reason to reject the idea that it The overture, with its various sections, is quite could have been written for the Princess. but the opposite of the traditional models.

Les Arts Florissants William Christie, music director, founder, harpsichord Paul Agnew, associate music director, associate conductor

iNsTRuMENTAL ENsEMbLE Emmanuel Resche, Théotime Langlois de swarte, violins sophie de bardonnèche, viola Pier Luigi Fabretti, oboe

bAsso CoNTiNuo Thomas Dunford, theorbo Alix Verzier, cello Musical scores: Les Arts Florissants (Pascal Duc)

Opposite: William Christie 16 PROGRAM NOTES

final chorus with its various ex - pressive facets. Actéon is a work that employs the most classical devices of the tragedie en musique established by Lully. only here, everything is in miniature: the plot, the vocal and instrumental forces, the length. it is a delicate but powerful little work that testifies to the craftsmanship of a com - poser preparing for an assault on the absolute summits (like Médée ).

The action takes place in six scenes:

1. Actéon and the hunters are on the tracks of a large quar - ry. The whole scene is built around a chorus of hunters, which is used as a refrain. The scene ends with an instrumental “air.” Portrait presumed to be of Marc-Antoine Charpentier 2. The scene changes to a spring in which Diana and her sis - ters are bathing. Diana’s reci - What is certainly to be found is a desire for tative is very soon changed into a dance color, which should characterize each scene of rhythm that is taken up and continued by this pastorale. The difference between the first her sisters. A menuet follows, alternating two scenes is clearly defined by the use of between the voices and the instruments, the keys of D Major and A Major. in the little and finally Arthebusia’s air (with chorus), treatise written for the future Regent, the Duke modelled after a Gavotte Air. of orleans, Charpentier invests keys with cer - 3. Actéon is tired and takes leave of his com - tain qualities: D Major is “joyful and warlike,” panions. He decides to rest in a quiet glade A Major is “joyful and rural.” This search for (the traditional “sleep scene” of the tragedie color is constant in each of the scenes. The en musique ). He sings an extended mono - fourth is very curiously composed of a recitative logue. Perceiving Diana and her sis ters, of Actéon (who has just been transformed into he attempts to conceal himself, but is dis - a stag) and a long plaint in C minor (“obscur et covered. A dialogue follows between Actéon triste”). The listener will be struck, as well, and Diana, who refuses to listen to his by the various ways in which Charpentier explanation (“chance and ill fortune are my sets the words to music. There are, in fact, only offence”). in order to prevent him very few true recitatives. on the other hand, from boasting about what he has seen, one notes the frequency of melodic passages, Diana and her sisters decide on his fate. interestingly constructed ensembles such as 4. in a recitative, Actéon beholds himself Arthebusia’s air alternating with the chorus, transformed into a stag. A long instru - Actéon’s long monologue (scene 3), and the mental plaint evokes his dismay.

16b PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES

5. The hunters burst in as their hounds go after a stag. They look for Actéon, intending to invite him to join the hunt (“come to admire the fury of your hounds setting upon this stag at bay”). 6. Juno announces to the hun - ters the death of Actéon, who has been changed into a stag and torn to pieces by his hounds. The pastorale ends with a chorus of hun - ters who express in varying gradations their sorrow and anger.

Dido and Aeneas Dido and Aeneas is a work unique of its kind, and the sum - mit in the all -too -brief career of the greatest composer England has produced. it is, moreover, the point of de par ture from a tradition to which all English Portrait of Henry Purcell by John Closterman composers would, for a long time to come, refer, even if they were not always aware of its true greatness. The that had prevailed before the disaster; that is, opera is almost 300 years old, but it still sounds to those of Gibbons and the last veterans of the new, imbued with a youthfulness and a daring Golden Age. that are all the more astonishing when one it was in these rather incoherent conditions realizes that the towering position once occu - that the task fell to the young Purcell of re - pied in English music by Purcell was taken over storing to his country a voice that would be its by a foreigner of genius, Handel, whose tor - own. His musical vocation was obvious from rential force swept away everything that had the start. His father and his uncle had worked been done before him. in the Court of Charles i. From the age of 10 Purcell lived and worked in a country in he was admitted to the Children of the Chapel which all cultural customs had been changed Royal, which was at the time the finest training by 10 years of Puritan dictatorship. When ground in the country. After that his career pro - Charles ii came to the throne in 1660, he found ceeded without notable incident. stage music a people who had remained a musical one, but occupied an important place in his output, but who lacked both trained composers and good it was either music that intended to enhance a practicing musicians. During his exile, the King work of literature, or else a kind of semi -opera, had acquired a taste for continental fashions, that uneasy, vaguely definable descendant of and it was quite natural for him to take Paris the masque at the beginning of the century, in and saint -Germain as the models for the which choruses, airs, and dances succeeded musical institutions of his own Court. As for the each other without any clear musical logic. The Anglican Church, it returned to the practices form was popular, though, and some of Pur -

17 PROGRAM NOTES

cell’s greatest successes are to be found in this rounds this well -known tale and its all too form, such as King Arthur and The Fairy Queen . predictable emotional states. it is a chamber When he tried his hand at a real opera in Dido opera in which Purcell succeeds in avoiding the and Aeneas , the event went virtually unnoticed. banal with astonishing mastery by mixing, like The work was written to be performed by the a true heir of shakespeare, the comical with the girls of a school kept in Chelsea by a certain awe -inspiring. His Witches are there out of Josiah Priest, a dancing -master and occasional necessity to the story, but is their real function collaborator of Purcell’s. The date of the first not to cause us to forget for a few minutes the performance remains uncertain, but it probably love of the Queen of Carthage and the Trojan took place in september 1690. it was revived in Prince? The music effortlessly surpasses Na - 1700 and again in 1704. Then it was forgotten hum Tate’s polished libretto. The Witches’ songs for the next 200 years. Purcell, who saw and augur misfortune; but they also represent an heard only the first performance, returned to interruption of the elegiac mood. The fact that his semi -operas. A few pastorals, the best of the ranting and raving of these harbingers of the which is Handel’s Acis and Galatea , represent underworld is set to a lively, almost jolly rhythm the sum total of the heritage of this forgotten is unimportant. What matters is the surprise masterpiece. of the listener, who is plunged into a fantastic None of Purcell’s contemporaries seems to world the semblances of which are delineated have been aware of the novelty constituted by by the timbre of the voices rather than by any an opera that owed as little to italian influences formal indication. it may be imagined that the as to the French lyrical theater, as defined by young maidens of Priest’s school had great fun Lully. one may well ask wherein the excep - in playing the parts of the “fantastical sisters.” tional virtues of Dido lie. The subject had it is of little interest to know whether their “Ho been treated for the stage a hundred times. ho ho” came from Lully’s Isis or not. These ex - Metastasio’s Didone abbandonata alone was set clamations have a decidedly English—not to over 40 times. The music, taken in its isolated say Purcellian—accent that cannot be confused sections and numbers, is not superior to what with that of any other music. Purcell produced elsewhere. it is undoubtedly Perhaps Dido and Aeneas is not a perfect by virtue of its dramatic intensity that Dido work, but it is much more important to realize owes the privileged place it occupies in our that Purcell rejected the pitfalls of the grand memories. A short opera that lasts barely an operatic spectacle. As she is dying, Dido needs hour (the fashionable spectacles in Paris and no grand aria. Less than five minutes of a reci - Venice could easily go on for hours), it is just tative and air of inescapable emotional power as filled with action as a Romantic grand opera. are enough. A brief lament follows, ending on its conciseness renders necessary the rapidity “Remember me,” a farewell that has no need of with which the most varied sentiments are melodic seductiveness, in which the emotion is expressed before an audience in a state of per - concentrated in a rhythm as simple as a drum - manent amazement. For all its simplicity, the beat. Then the curtain falls on a final chorus as pace of the narrative does not let up for a mo - intense as that of a bach Passion. We are left ment. At the same time, however, every thing alone with a memory and an ache that no is done with a delicate touch: yearning, anguish, longer belong to the stage, but to some strange passion, despair, nothing is ever drawn in liturgy of death. strong, heavy tones; a light cloudiness sur - —© Les Arts Florissants

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Les Arts Florissants is renowned the world over Les Arts Florissants enjoys an equally high as an ensemble of singers and instru mentalists profile in the concert hall, as illustrated by its specializing in the performance of baroque many acclaimed concert or semi -staged per - music on period instruments. Founded in 1979 formances of operas and oratorios (Rameau’s by the Franco -American harpsichordist and Zoroastre , Anacréon, and Les Fêtes d’Hébé ; conductor William Christie, the ensemble, Charpentier’s Actéon and La Descente d’Orphée named after a short opera by Marc -Antoine aux Enfers ; Campra’s Idoménée and Mozart’s Charpentier, has played a pio neering role in Idomeneo ; Montéclair’s Jephté ; Rossi’s L’Orfeo; the revival of a baroque reper toire that had long and Handel’s Giulio Cesare —with Cecilia bar - been neglected (in cluding the rediscovery of toli— Messiah , Theodora , Susanna , Jephtha, and countless treasures in the collections of the Belshazzar ), its secular and sacred chamber biblio thèque nationale de France). Today that music programs ( petits motets by Lully and repertoire is widely per formed and admired: not Charpentier, madrigals by Monte verdi and only French music from the reign of Louis XiV, Gesualdo, court airs by Lambert, hymns by but also, more generally, European music of Purcell, among others), and its approach to the 17th and 18th centuries. The ensemble is large -scale works (particularly the grands mo- directed by William Christie who, since 2007, tets by Rameau, Mondonville, and Campra). has regularly passed the conductor’s baton over Each season Les Arts Florissants gives to british tenor Paul Agnew. around 100 concerts and opera performances since the 1987 production of Lully’s Atys in France—at the Philharmonie de Paris, where at the opéra-Comique in Paris, which was tri - the group is in residence, the Théâtre de Caen, umphantly revived in May 2011, it has been on the opéra-Comique, the Théâtre des Champs - the opera stage that Les Arts Florissants has Élysées, the Château de Versailles, as well as at enjoyed its greatest successes. Notable pro - numerous festivals—and is an active ambas - ductions include works by Rameau ( Les Indes sador for French culture abroad, being regularly Galantes , Hippolyte et Aricie , Les Boréades , Les invited to New York, London, brussels, Vienna, Paladins , Platée ), Lully and Charpentier ( Mé - Madrid, barcelona, Moscow, and elsewhere. dée , David et Jonathas , Les Arts Florissants , The ensemble has produced an impressive Armide ), Handel ( Orlando , Acis and Galatea , discography: nearly 100 recordings (CD and Semele , Alcina , Serse , Hercules , L’Allegro, il Pen - DVD) and its own collection in collaboration ser oso ed il Moderato ), Purcell ( King Arthur , with Harmonia Mundi, under the batons of Dido and Aeneas , The Fairy Queen ), Mozart ( The William Christie and Paul Agnew. Magic Flute , Die Entführung aus dem Serail ), in recent years, Les Arts Florissants has and Monteverdi (his opera trilogy), but also by launched several education programs for young composers who are less frequently played, such musicians. The most emblematic is the Aca- as Landi ( Il Sant’Alessio ), Cesti ( Il Tito ), Campra de my of Le Jardin des Voix: created in 2002, it (Les Fêtes vénitiennes ), and Hérold ( Zampa ). is held every two years and has already brought For its highly acclaimed theater productions, a substantial number of new singers into Les Arts Floris sants has called on the talents of the limelight. The Arts Flo Juniors pro gram, some of the greatest stage directors, in cluding launched in 2007, enables conservatory stu - Jean -Marie Villégier, Robert Carsen, Adrian dents to join the orchestra and chorus for the Noble, Andrei serban, Luc bondy, Deborah length of a production, from the first day of Warner, Jérôme Deschamps, and Macha Make - rehearsals up to the final performance. And ïeff, as well as on renowned choreo graphers then there is the partnership between William such as béatrice Mas sin, Ana Yepes, Jirí Kylián, Christie, Les Arts Florissants, and New York’s blanca Li, Trisha brown, Robyn orlin, José Juilliard school, which since 2007 has allowed Montalvo, Françoise Denieau, and Domin - a fruitful artistic exchange between the us ique Hervieu. and France.

18 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Les Arts Florissants also organizes numerous del Liceu of barcelona, Pampelune, Teatro Real events aimed at building new audiences at of Madrid); a new production of The Beggar’s the Philharmonie de Paris, in the Vendée and Opera with director Robert Carsen at the Théâ - through out in France, and all around the world. tre des bouffes du Nord in Paris; and Haydn’s Linked to each year’s concert program, events The Creation (oviedo, barcelona, beaune Festi - are de signed for both amateur musicians and val). in addition to this, remounts of Rameau, non -musicians, and appeal to children as much maître à danser will tour in Korea and Monsieur as adults. de Pourceaugnac in France. in 2012 William Christie and Les Arts Flor - Les Arts Florissants is also fully present in the is sants created the festival Dans les Jardins de program of a new event in the Pays de la Loire William Christie , in partnership with the Con - region, “Au rythme des heures,” a musical seil départemental de la Vendée. An annual weekend at the Abbaye de Fontevraud. The event, the festival brings together artists from group will perform The Creation and Acis and Les Arts Florissants, pupils from the Juilliard Galatea at the Meet in Galilee Festival for the school, and finalists from Le Jardin des Voix France -israel Year. Another season highlight for concerts and promenades musicales in the is William Christie’s directing the ensemble in gardens created by William Christie at Thiré, in a new production of Monteverdi’s The Corona - the Vendée. in addition to the festival, Les Arts tion of Poppea at the salzburg Festival in sum - Florissants is working with the endowment mer 2018. fund Les Jardins de Musique de William Christie Les Arts Florissants will also participate in en Vendée towards the creation of a perma- the Museé de la musique’s 20th anniversary nent cultural venue in Thiré. This anchorage during the museum’s late -night “un musée aux strengthened in 2017, through some note - bougies” candlelight evening. worthy events: the settlement of Le Jardin des Meanwhile, Paul Agnew is wrapping up his Voix in Thiré, the creation of a spring festival concert trilogy tour of Monteverdi’s madrigals (Festival de Printemps) directed by Paul Ag new, with Mantova (Quebec, Montreal) and Venezia and the reward of the national lab el “Centre (Festival d’Ambronay), in honor of the 450th culturel de Rencontre” for Les Arts Flo rissants anniversary of the composer’s birth. He is also and Les Jardins de William Christie —an award directing An English Garden for its remount at that distinguishes projects associating creation, London’s barbican Centre, bach’s Motets (Ver - patrimony, and trans mission. sailles Royal Chapel, Philharmonie de Paris, in the 2017 –18 season, Les Arts Florissants Wigmore Hall in London) and two programs will present several lyric operas and concerts in collaboration with the orchestre de Paris and under the baton of William Christie, including the Ensemble intercontemporain at the Phil - a tour of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Char - har monie de Paris: Echo -Fragmente and Folk - pentier’s Actéon on the American continents lore imaginaires . in April, he will direct the (bogota, Los Angeles, orange County, sono- second Festival du Printemps in the churches ma); An English Garden with the singers of the of south -Vendée, this year focusing on the 8th Jardin des Voix (Angers, Ma drid, Caen, sacred music of Johann sebastian bach. saragosse, Philharmonie de Paris, Tchaikovsky The season will conclude with the seventh Concert Hall in Moscow); Monte verdi’s Selva festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie , in Morale e Spirituale (Philharmonie de Paris, Thiré, Vendée. barbi can Centre, Théâtre de Caen, berliner Philharmonie, Versailles Royal Cha pel); a stage Les Arts Florissants receives financial support production of Handel’s Jephta at the opéra from the French Ministry of Culture and Com - national de Paris, directed by Claus Guth; munication, the Department of Vendée, and Handel’s Ariodante , directed by David McVicar the Région Pays de la Loire. The ensemble has at the Vienna staatsoper, followed by a version been in residence at the Philharmonie de Paris in concert (Philharmonie de Paris, Gran Teatre since 2015. The Selz Foundation, American

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Friends of Les Arts Florissants, and Crédit Agri - From Charpentier to Rameau, through Cou- cole Corporate & Investment Bank are Prin cipal perin, Mondonville, Campra, or Monté clair, Sponsors. William Christie is the uncontested master of tragédie -lyrique as well as opéra -ballet , and is William Christie (music director and harpsi - just as comfortable with the French motet as chord ), harpsichordist, conductor, musicologist, with music of the court. but his affection for and teacher, is the inspiration behind one of the French music does not preclude him from most exciting musical adventures of the last 30 exploring other European repertoires; along with years. A pioneer in the rediscovery of baroque his many acclaimed performances of italian music, he has introduced the repertoire of 17th - works (Monteverdi, Rossi, scarlatti, Landi), and 18th -century France to a very wide audi - he broaches Purcell and Handel with as much ence across the globe. born in buffalo, and success as Mozart or Haydn. educated at Harvard and Yale, Christie has lived William Christie’s particularly busy operatic in France since 1971. The turning point in his career has been marked by numerous colla bor - career came in 1979, when he founded Les Arts ations with renowned theater and opera direc - Florissants. tors (including Jean -Marie Villégier, Robert Directing this vocal and instrumental en - Carsen, Alfredo Arias, Jorge Lavelli, Graham semble, Christie soon made his mark as both a Vick, Adrian Noble, Andrei serban, Luc bondy, musician and man of the theater, in the concert and Deborah Warner), which are always hall and the opera house, with new interpre - major events on the music calendar. Among his tations of largely neglected or forgotten works. most recent are two productions at Paris’ Major public recognition came in 1987 with the opéra-Comique, Rameau’s Platée in 2014 and production of Lully’s Atys at the opéra-Co - Cam pra’s Les Fêtes vénitiennes in 2015, and mique in Paris, which then went on to tour Char pentier’s Médée at the Zürich opernhaus internationally to huge success. in 2017.

1 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

As a guest conductor, Christie often appears in 2012, a music festival that takes place every at opera festivals such as Glyndebourne (no - August in his gardens in the Vendée. it brings tably Hippolyte et Aricie in the summer of 2013) together Les Arts Florissants, William Christie’s or at opera houses such as the Metro politan pupils from the Juilliard school, and the opera of New York, the Zurich opern haus, or finalists in Le Jardin des Voix for concerts and the opéra National de Lyon. between 2002 and promenades musicales in the gardens he created 2007, he regularly appeared as a guest con - at Thiré, which have been labeled a “Jardin ductor with the berlin Philharmonic. Remarquable” and listed on the French supple- Christie’s extensive discography (more than mentary inventory of Historic Monuments. 100 recordings, many of which have won William Christie acquired French citizenship awards and distinctions in France and abroad) in 1995. He is a Grand officier in the ordre de with Harmonia Mundi, Warner Classics/Erato, la Légion d’Honneur, the ordre des Arts et des and Virgin Classics reflects the richness of his Lettres, and the ordre National du Mérite. He artistic ventures. His most recent recordings are is Docteur Honoris Causa of the state univer - Belshazzar , Le Jardin de Monsieur Rameau , sity of New York in buffalo, of the Juilliard featuring the finalists in Le Jardin des Voix school of Music in New York, and of the uni - 2013; Music for Queen Caroline , a program of versity of Leiden in the Netherlands. in 2008 religious works by Handel; Bien que l’amour , Christie was elected to France’s Académie des an anthology of serious airs and drinking songs; beaux -Arts; he gave his official inaugural and La Harpe Reine , a program evoking music speech under the dome of the institut de France at the court of Marie -Antoinette with harpist in 2010. He is also an honorary member of the Xavier de Maistre. Royal Academy of Music in London. in a career of over 40 years, Christie has brought to the limelight several generations of Sophie Daneman (stage singers and instrumentalists. indeed, most of direction ) studied at the the conductors of today’s French baroque Guild hall school of Music ensembles began their careers with Les Arts and has established an in - Florissants. A professor at the Paris Conserva - ternational reputation in a tory from 1982 to 1995, he was in charge of the wide-ranging repertoire. early -music class, and he is now often invited Her opera engagements to give master classes or lead academies such as have included Rodelinda those at Aix -en -Provence and Ambronay. since in the Netherlands, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare 2007 he has been in residence at the Juilliard and Dalila in Samson (Göttingen Handel Festi - school in New York, where he gives master val), and an acclaimed Mélisande for the opéra- classes twice a year accompanied by the musi - Comique. she has sung Euridice in L’Anima del cians of Les Arts Florissants. Filosofo with opéra de Lausanne, Euridice in Wishing to develop further his work as a L’Orfeo and Dido and Aeneas with the bavarian teacher, in 2002 Christie created, with Les Arts state opera, and the title role in Theodora with Florissants, a biennial academy for young sing - William Christie in New York, Paris, and salz - ers, Le Jardin des Voix, whose finalists take part burg. Daneman has toured extensively with in an international tour with Les Arts Floris - William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, as sants that acts as a launchpad for their careers. well as performing with sir Neville Marriner, Among the talents discovered by William Phillipe Herreweghe, and John Eliot Gardiner. Christie through Le Jardin des Voix are sonya she has been featured with the scottish Cham - Yoncheva, Christophe Dumaux, Em manu elle ber orchestra, at the Halle Handel Festival, with de Negri, Marc Mauillon, and Amel brahim - the Freiburg baroque orchestra, and the berlin Djelloul. Philharmonic. Her extensive discography in - A true garden enthusiast, William Christie cludes a recording with Elizabeth Kenny and launched Dans les Jardins de William Christie Theatre of the Ayre, Masque of Moments (Linn

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Records), as well as the title role in Handel’s Renato Dolcini (baritone ) Rode linda with Nicholas Kraemer (Virgin Clas- studied vocal performance sics), Theodora and Acis and Galatea (Gramo - under Vincenzo Man no phone Award) with William Christie for Erato, and graduated from Pavia Vivaldi’s Ottone in Villa with Richard Hickox university. in 2009 and (Chandos), and three volumes of Mendelssohn 2010, he was featured at lieder with Nathan berg and Eugene Asti (Hy - the Gstaad Vocal Academy per ion). Daneman recently directed a double with Cecilia bartoli. in bill of Rameau’s La naissance d’Osiris and Daph- 2014 he was chosen by William Christie to be nis et Églé for Les Arts Florissants, with per - part of Le Jardin des Voix, Les Arts Florissants’ formances in Caen, Luxembourg, Dijon, Lon- academy for young singers, with which he don, and Paris. toured the us, Europe, Russia, Australia, and Asia. Highlights of past seasons include Cal - Lea Desandre (mezzo - dara’s Dafne in Venice for Teatro La Fenice, a soprano ) won the New Monteverdi program conducted by John Eliot Talent First Prize of the Gardiner, and the title role in Mozart’s Le nozze Théâtre de bordeaux in di Figaro with René Jacobs for the Fondation 2013, entered opera Royaumont. His engagements last season in - Fuoco Atelier Lyrique in cluded his debut as Leporello in Don Giovanni 2014, and continues to in Florence (recorded for Warner Classics), study with sara Mingardo, Cavalli’s Iper mestra at the Glyndebourne Festi - Véro nique Gens, Vivica Genaux, Malcolm val with William Christie and the orchestra of Walker, and Christine schweitzer. Laureate of the Age of Enlightenment, and L’incoronazione Les Arts Florissants’ academy for young singers, di Pop pea at the opéra de Nantes. Dolcini stars Le Jardin des Voix, she has performed around as orfeo and Apollo in Stravaganza d’Amore!, the world with William Christie. she has sung the latest disc by Raphaël Pichon and Ensemble sesto in Giulio Cesare and the second Witch in Pygmalion. Dido and Aeneas in shanghai, and Dorabella in Cosi Fanciulli at the Théâtre des Champs- Elodie Fonnard (soprano ) Elysées. in 2015, she participated in the Aca - is known on the inter - démie du Festi val d’Aix-en-Provence as part of na tional baroque music the Mozart and Handel residencies. in the scene especially for her 2016 –17 season, Desandre made her debut in work with Les Arts Floris- the title role of Alcione at the opéra-Comique sants: Lully’s Atys (Flore), in Paris under Jordi savall. she also sang l’ Orfeo Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas for the first time as the Messaggiera with Les (belinda), Handel’s Acis Arts Floris sants at the Philharmonie de Paris and Galatea (Galatea), Charpentier’s Actéon and in Caen, Vienna, Versailles, and Madrid. (Diane), Rameau’s Daphnis et Eglé (Eglé), and other highlights included the second Fairy in Campra’s Les Fêtes Vénitiennes (iphise and La The Fairy Queen with William Christie at the Fortune). she has performed at the Festival Luxemburg Philharmonic, and Flerida in Eris - d’Aix-en-Provence, the Philhar monie de Paris, mena at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. This the bolshoi in Moscow, Lincoln Center, the season she appears in various recitals, includ - For bidden City Concert Hall of beijing, and ing French mélodie at the Petit Palais in Paris, throughout Europe and Latin America. she also French music at the opéra-Comique, Vivaldi performs with William Christie as a harpsi - motets at the Théâtre Grévin in Paris, Handel chordist. Trained as a pianist, Fonnard studied arias with Le Concert d’Astrée at the opéra singing with Luc Coadou and Alain buet, grad - de Lille, and cantatas with Les Musiciens du uating from the Paris Conservatory in baroque Louvre in Grenoble. music and landing her first roles with Le

21 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Concert d’Astrée and Le Poème Harmonique. Academy and at the Royal Recently invited to the Potsdam Musik fest - scottish Academy of Mu - spiele, she appears in recital at festivals through - sic and Drama, where she out Europe. Her first recording, Musiques Juives was awarded the Florence Baroques, is a tribute to baroque Jewish music Veitch ibler prize. she went (buda Musique). she recently recorded songs on to earn a master’s of Prévert and Kosma (Anima Records), and degree at the Guildhall Destouches and Delalande’s opera Les Eléments school of Music and Dra - (Ambronay Editions) with Ensemble Les sur - ma and, in 2011, was a member of the Jardin prises. Fonnard debuts in 2018 at the Vienna des Voix, the Academy for young singers of Les Konzerthaus, singing lead roles in Campra’s Arts Florissants. Her recent performances in - L’Europe galante . clude Léontine in Campra’s Les Fêtes Veniti - ènnes in Caen, Toulouse, and New York, and the Maud Gnidzaz (soprano ) title role in Charpentier’s Caecilia, Virgin and began her musical educa - Martyr in Aix-en-Provence. With Les Arts tion by playing the flute. Florissants she was featured in Char pentier’s After graduating from the Te Deum at the opening of the new Paris École du Louvre in 2001, Philharmonie. she has appeared in Pur cell’s she studied opera singing The Fairy Queen and Rameau’s Pyg ma lion with and baroque performance the European union baroque or chestra, practice. Her repertoire Handel’s Messiah with the Norwe gian Chamber ex tends from medieval to contemporary music, orchestra, and the St. John Passion with the and she is featured with various specialized Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. At Théâtre du ensembles, including A sei Voci, solistes XXi, Châtelet in Paris she has been seen as Loena in sagittarius, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, La offenbach’s La Belle Hélène . Redmond’s future Fenice, Le Concert d’Astrée, and Pygmalion. A plans include belinda in Dido and Aeneas with regular member of Les Arts Florissants, she has William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, Mes - performed in concert halls and at festivals siah with Jordi savall and the Centre inter - around the world. she has been featured as nacional de Música Antiga, bach’s St. Matthew Jonathas in David et Jonathas by Charpentier, Passion with Kristian bezuiden hout and the Purcell’s Anthems, the Angel in bach’s Christ - Dunedin Consort, and La De scente d’Orfée mas Oratorio , a fairy in Purcell’s The Fairy aux Enfers with sébastien Daucé and Ensemble Queen , and many other works. With Les Arts Correspondances. Floris sants under Paul Agnew, she has taken part in the complete cycle of Monteverdi’s Virginie Thomas (sopra - madrigals. in recent seasons, Gnidzaz has no ), graduated from the given recitals with Leonardo García Alarcón Toulouse Conserva tory and with Gilbert bezzina and the Ensemble and sings with various en - baroque de Nice. she has also sung Monte- sembles, including the Les verdi’s Vespers with Jean Tubery, appeared Eléments Chamber Choir, in Alcione (by Marin Marais) at the opéra- Le Concert d’Astrée, and Comique in Paris under the baton of Jordi the Namur Chamber savall, and with her ensemble Daleth in court Choir. she appears on opera and concert stages arias, cantatas, and motets. with conductors such as Jérôme Correas, Joël suhubiette, Emmanuel Krivine, Jérémie Rhorer, Rachel Redmond (sopra no ), born in Glasgow, Emmanuelle Haïm, William Christie, Paul Ag - discovered her love of singing with the junior new, Claus Peter Flor, Leonardo García Alar- chorus of the Royal scottish National orches - cón, and Marc Minkowski. Thomas is also an tra. she studied at the Music school of Douglas active member of the Ensemble Marguerite

22 PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Louise directed by Gaétan Jarry. With Les Arts made his Zurich opera debut as Jason in Florissants and William Christie, she has per - Charpentier’s Médée, and he is adding other formed the roles of Nymphe (in Lully’s Armide ) new roles, including belmonte in The Abduc- at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and of Cé - tion from the Seraglio with the orchestre de phise (in Rameau’s Pygmalion ). she has also Chambre de Paris and Gérald in Lakmé with been featured in Atys (Lully) and David et the Munich Radio orchestra. His first solo CD, Jon a thas (Charpentier) at the Festival d’Aix-en- of arias by J.s. bach, was released by Alpha Clas- Provence, an dhas sung Daphné (in Actéon ) in sics last year and received a Choc award from Ver sailles, as well as Thalie ( Platée ) at the Classica magazine as well as a Caecilia Award opéra -Comique in Paris and Lincoln Center. for one of the best recordings of 2016. Thomas performed the title role in L’incoro na - zione di Poppea and sang in Phaëton and Amadis Carlo Vistoli (counter - under the direction of Christophe Rousset. Fu - tenor) began training as a ture pro jects include several Charpentier works, countertenor in 2005 and and she is featured with Les Arts Florissants studied Renaissance and through out its current North American tour. baroq ue singing in Fer - she also takes part in Rameau’s Maître à danser rar a and bologna. Concur - in Korea. rently, he presented recitals thr oughout italy with Reinoud Van Mechelen harp sichordist Marco Farolfi. Vistoli worked (tenor ) graduated in vocal with ensemble Cappella Musicale di san Gia - studies from the Royal como Maggiore in bologna, performing and Con servatory in brussels recording rare sacred music of th e 17th and and was awarded the 18th centuries. in Poitie rs and Warsaw, he made Caecilia Prize as Young his debut with Les Ambassadeurs in the title Musician of the Year by role of Handel’s Tamerlano . He debuted as Tolo- the belgian music press. meo in Giulio Cesare with the ensemble opera Van Mechelen participated in William Christie Fuoco in shanghai in 2013, the first perform - and Paul Agnew’s Jardin des Voix, Les Arts ance of a complete Handel opera in China. in Florissants’ academy for young singers, and 2015 Vistoli enrolled in Le Jardin des Voix, the sub sequently became a regular soloist with the program for young singers directed by William ensemble. With the group he has performed at Christie and Les Arts Florissants, with which he the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, the Edinburgh has toured France, Australia, China, and Russia, Festival, the Château de Versailles, the bolshoi also appearing at Lincoln Center and the Lu - Theatre, Royal Albert Hall and the barbican cerne Festival. For his performance as ottone in Centre in London, the Palais des beaux-Arts Handel’s Agrippina in brisbane, he was awarded in brussels, the Philharmonie de Paris and the the 2016 Australian Helpmann Award. This opéra-Comique, as well as at the brooklyn season he sings at the Paris Phil harmonie in Academy of Music in New York. Van Mechelen Monteverdi’s Orfeo with Les Arts Florissants, has sung the part of the Evangelist in bach’s and he tours with John Eliot Gardi ner. At the St. John Passion with the Royal Liverpool Phil - Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, he is featured in the harmonic, the title role in Rameau’s Dar da - modern premiere of Cavalli’s Eris mena . Vistoli is nus at the opéra National de bordeaux, and the recipient of such international honors as the Zoroastre at the Festival Radio-France in Mont - Audience Prize at the international Compe tition pellier, the Festival d’Aix-en Provence, the Festi - of the city of bologna, the award as best baroque val de beaune, the Théâtre Royal in Versailles, singer of the Centro studi Farinelli, and first and the Theater an der Wien. This year he prize at the Renata Tebaldi Compe tition.