PRESS BROOKLYNACADEMY OF MUSIC PRESENTS LES ARTS FWRISSANTS IN AN EVENING OF SACREDWORKS BY MARC-ANTOINECHARPENTIER ONE PERFORMANCEONLY --- NOVEMBER20, 1991 WILLIAM CHRISTIE AND LES ARTS FWRISSANTS RETURN FOR THEIR FIRST BAMENGAGEMENT SINCE THEIR APPEARANCEIN THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMEDOPERA , ATYS The Brookyn Academy of Music will present France's premier baroque vocal and instrumental ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, under the direction of William Christie, in an evening of sacred works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier for one performance only, November 20 , 1991 in the BAMOpera House . The evening's program will consist of two Charpentier masterworks, Assumpta est Maria and Te Deum, complimented by Charpentier's Psalums David "Laetatus sum" and Jacques Philidor's Marche de timbales (timpani solo). Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) is considered the most romantic of the French baroque composers. William Christie, along with Les Arts Florissants, are credited with revitalizing public interest in and critical appreciation of the works of Charpentier. It is believed that Charpentier composed the Mass, Assumpta est Maria, for a special occasion . Given the title of the work, it was perhaps composed for the feast of the Assumption . Not only does he set the five normal Ordinary items-- Kyrie, Gloria, Credo , Sanctus, and Agnus Dei-- but he adds a setting of Psalm 19, verse 10, (Domine saluvm fac regem) a prayer for the health of the king, which was the usual musical conclusion of Masses in the Chapelle Royale. Te Deum was the first modern "hit" among the compositions of Charpentier, and the beginning of its orchestral prelude is universally known as the motif of Eurovision . The work may have been composed as a jubilant response to the French victory at Steinkerque on August 3, 1692. The vocal and instrumental ensemble Les Arts Florissants was founded by William Christie in 1979 in Paris, nearly three centuries after the creation of the work by Marc-Antoine Charpentier from which it takes its name. The group devotes itself to the research and performance of French, Italian and English vocal music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Les Arts Florissants has earned recognition for their interpretations of operas (both staged and unstaged) including: Charpentier's Acteon, Medee, David et Jonathas and Le Malade Imaginaire (based on Moliere's comedie-ballet), Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and The Fairy Queen, and Rameau's Pygmalion, Castor et Pollux and Les Indes Galantes. In 1987 the ensemble, in collaboration with the Paris Opera, produced one of Lully's greatest lyrical tragedies, Atys. The production was voted "Best Opera" by French critics in 1987 and was performed to critical acclaim at BAMas part of BAMOpera season in 1989 . Les Arts Florissants has performed at Europe's most prestigious festivals , including Edinburgh, Innsbruck, Bath, Aix and Madrid. Les Arts Florissan t s has over twenty award-winning recordings on the Harmonia Mundi/France label . BROOKLYNACADEMY OFMUSIC 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11217 -1486 (718)636-4129 AmericasOlaestPerlorming ArtsCenter TeleCopier(11~)~snO~l Telex ~%.~9J BA~1LR CableA cadmusic Les Arts Florissants at BAMPage -2- Since 1971, American-born William Christie has been based in Europe, and in 1979 he founded Les Arts Florissants in Paris. In 1982 he became the first American to hold a professorship at the Conservatoire in Paris. Well-known as a harpsichordist and lecturer , Mr. Christie has gained an international reputation as a specialist in French and Italian Baroque music . He has twice been voted "Musician of the Year " by French critics , in 1984 and 1985. This program has been made possible by a grant from The Florence Gould Foundation . Additional support has been provided by l'Association Franc a i s d'Action Artistique and Arts International . Les Arts Florissants appears by arrangement with The Aaron Concert Management, Boston, Massachusetts, and is funded by the French Ministr y of Culture , the Town of Caen/Region Basse-Normandie, and Pechiney . The BAM facility is owned by the City of New York and its operation is made possible , in part, with public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with support from the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council and Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden . PERFORMANCEDATE AND TIME Wednesday, November 20 at 8:00 PM - - Tickets : $25 - $10. Tickets may be purchased by calling TicketMaster at 212-307-4100 or at the BAMBox Office , 30 Lafayette Avenue . For additional information , please contact the BAMTicket Services Office at 718-636-4100 . ### ,_, ,_, tftt tftt ----------- For Release: November 19, 1991 PRESS Contact: BAMPublicity - 718-636-4129 BROOKLYNACADEMY OF MUSIC OPERAANNOUNCES THE BAMFRENCH BAROQUE PROJECT A THREE-YEAREXPLORATION OF FRENCHBAROQUE MUSIC LEADINGBAROQUE MUSIC SPECIALIST, WILLIAMCHRISTIE WITH LES ARTS FLORISSANTSTO BE FEATUREDIN PROJECT THE FLORENCEGOULD FOUNDATION AWARDS BAM OPERA A THREE-YEARGRANT OF $775,000 IN SUPPORTOF BAMFRENCH BAROQUE PROJECT November 19, 1991 -- Harvey Lichtenstein, President and Executive Producer of the Brooklyn Academy of Music today announced at a reception at the French Consulate, the beginning of a thre e-year program the BAMFrench Baroque Project. Following the unprecedented success of Jean-Baptiste Lully's opera Atys, seen in 1989 as part of the first season of BAMOpera, and the new possibilities it suggested for baroque opera performance in the United States, BAMhas chosen to develop this three-year project. The project will offer audiences a survey of French baroque opera and music from a variety of composers. William Christie, a leader in the field of Baroque music and opera performance, and a specialist in the vocal music and operas of French baroque composers, has worked with Harvey Lichtenstein in developing the project. All three opera presentations will feature Les Arts Florissants, under Christie's direction . The project begins with the November 20th, 1991 engagement of Les Arts Florissants, performing an evening of sacred works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier in the BAMOpera House. BAMFrench Baroque Project continues in the spring of 1992 with the return of Lully's opera, Atys (March 18-20-21-22). When the opera was given its first fully staged production in the United States at BAMin May of 1989, it proved to be one of the most popular events in the recent history of BAM. Harvey Lichtenstein comments, "Given the extraordinary audience and critical response to Atys, we felt it appropriate to offer audiences another opportunity to experience this consumate production." The BAMFrench Baroque Project will continue in 1993 with a concert performance of Rameau's Les Indes Galantes, which Christie and Les Arts Florissants first performed at the 1990 Aix-en-Provence Festival . In the spring of 1994, BAMOpera will present a new production of Charpentier's Medee, the only Tragedie Lyrique Charpentier wrote . Les Arts Florissants first recorded Medee in 1985 to great critical acclaim, winning three international recording awards. Medee will be produced by the Paris Opera-Comique, the original producer of Lull y's Atys. The same artistic team which created Atys, music director, William Christie; director, ~ean-Marie Villegier; choreographer, Francine Lancelot with her troupe, Ris et Danceries; set designer, Carlo Tommasi; costume designer, Patrice Cauchetier , and lighting designer, Philippe Arlaud will be responsible for the Medee production . more .... BROOKLYNACADEMY OFMUSIC 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11217-1486 (718)636-4129 AmericasOlaestPerforming ArtsCenter TeleCopier(tl~l~b,-W~l Telex~~~-~~J. BAMUR1CableAcaamusi c BAM FRENCHBAROQUE PROJECT PAGE -2- William Christie currently lectures on early music at t he Paris Conservatory of Music. BAMhas recently begun discussions with lo cal educational institutionals in developing an outreach program connect ed to the opera pre s entations. Further details in regards to worksho ps, master classes and l ectures with William Christie and Les Arts Florissant s wi ll be announced at a later date. It is the intention of BAMFrench Baroqu e Project to allow Christie the first large-scale opportunity to share hi s knowledge with American students, teachers, and artists sp eciali z i ng in this area of music. Anne Cohen-Solal, Cultural Counsellor to The French Embassy commented, "BAM, whi ch has been a major force in presenting Europea n art i s ts in America, will con t i nue its leader ship role, increasing American aware ne ss to the impo rt ance and vitality of French Baroque music." William Christie was born in New York in 1944 and began h is musical studies wi t h his mother and went on to study the piano organ an d harpsichord . In 196 6 he received a degree in art history at Harvard Uni versity and subsequently received a master's degree in musicology a t Yale, studying h arpsichord with Ralph Kirkpatrick. He was then appoin ted to a pr ofessorship at Dartmouth College and was director of th e Dartmouth Coll egium. Since 1971 Christie has been based in Euro pe, and in 1979 fo unded Les Arts Florissants in Paris. In 1982 he bec ame the first American to hold a professorship at the Conservatoire in Paris. He has twice been vo te d "Musician of the Year" (1984 & 1985) by French cr i ti cs . The vocal and instrumental ensemble Les Arts Florissant s was founded in 19 79 nearly three centuries after the creation of the wor k by Marc-Antoine Charpentier from which it takes its name . The group devoted itself to the rese arch and performance of French, Italian and English vocal music of the 17th and 18th centuries. It has earned recognition for its interpretations of operas (both staged and unstaged) inclu ding: Charpen tier ' s Acteon, Medee, David et Jonathas and Le Malade Imaginaire (based on Moli ere ' s comedie­ ba ll et), Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and The Fairy Queen, and Rameau ' s Pygmalion, Castor et Pollux and Les Indes Galantes.