AMERICAN FRIENDS OF The American Friends of Les Arts Florissants, a 501(c)3 charitable corporation, was established in 2012 to strengthen the ties between Les Arts Florissants and American audiences, musicians and singers. Les Arts Florissants 2018 By raising funds in the United States, the American Friends of Les Arts Florissants supports the full range of activities of Les Arts Florissants, including international and U.S. tours, concerts, recitals, recordings, events such as the Dans les Jardins de William Christie festival held annually in the Vendée region of France, and the development of a permanent artistic venue in the Vendée. The American Friends also help to From left to right: William Christie, Musical Co- provide training and education through various director and Founder of Les Arts initiatives― — including the annual Jardin des Voix Florissants and Paul Agnew, Musical Co-director program for young singers and the partnership with The Juilliard School in New York —― to preserve and disseminate European music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Based in France, the internationally acclaimed Baroque vocal and instrumental ensemble Les Arts Florissants was founded in 1979 by Franco-American conductor William Christie. Under Christie’s extraordinary leadership and unparalleled artistic vision, Les Arts Florissants has played a pioneering role in rediscovering and reenergizing France’s Baroque repertoire, developing new French and American talent, and bringing exciting and fresh musical perfor- mances to a wide range of audiences on both Photo Credits Top: Julien Benhamou sides of the Atlantic. Above: Oscar Ortega Front Cover: Jay Qin Highlights Facts about 2020/21 Les Arts Florissants Dedicated to performance on period instruments, Season the Ensemble is largely responsible for the Performances: More than 75 resurgence of interest in 17th live concerts in 14 cities in France, century French repertoire and international tours in Austria as well as in European (Vienna), England (London), Italy music of the 17th and 18th (Florence, Rome), Luxembourg, centuries, and its research Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Zamora), team regularly unearths Switzerland (Martigny), in Asia and publishes lesser known (Hong Kong, Singapore), and numerous digital performances. The Ensemble has 17th and 18th century French pioneered, researched, scores. Programs: More than 25 different live and digital programs (concerts, presented and expanded More than 120 recordings semi-staged performances, and the audience for French full productions) including next Baroque music through and 22 DVDs are available. installments of the complete more than 2,700 concerts, cycles of Gesualdo’s Madrigals and recitals and fully staged Les Arts Florissants is led Haydn’s Symphonies parisiennes, opera performances over by a duo of experts: Purcell’s Hear My Prayer, Mozart’s 40 years. 171 of these have celebrated harpsichordist, La Finta Giardiniera, Homage taken place in the United conductor, musicologist and to Geneviève de Chambure, States, including nearly 100 teacher William Christie is Monteverdi’s Orfeo, Pasticcio—A Co-director and Founder; and musical revue with Lea Desandre at the Brooklyn Academy of renowned tenor and Jakub Józef Orli―nski, Bach’s Music and Lincoln Center. Paul Agnew Magnificat, Handel’s Partenope, is Co-director. and Mondonville’s opera Titon et The Ensemble takes l’Aurore in a new production by its name from the William Christie’s Thiré estate American puppeteer Basil Twist. short opera by Marc- and gardens, and extended Since January 2015, Les Arts Antoine Charpentier, projects in the Vendée Florissants has been a Resident Les Arts Florissants (The region were recognized in Ensemble at the Philharmonie Flourishing Arts). 2017 as a Centre Culturel de Paris, allowing the orchestra de Rencontre (Cultural to rehearse and perform in the A key ambassador for Center). The new Fondation prestigious venue. French culture, Les Arts Les Arts Florissants– On April 23–25, 2021, the Florissants is one of William Christie unites Ensemble will present its the most renowned and all of Les Arts Florissants Spring Festival, taking place respected early music and its activities into a in numerous churches, in South groups around the world. vibrant resource for future Vendée, France. The 10th season generations. of the festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie will be held Performances range from August 21–18, 2021 with from chamber music to the participation of Le Jardin full orchestra and opera des Voix, the academy for young featuring more than 70 singers, which is celebrating its musicians, singers, soloists 10th edition. and dancers. Dans les Jardins de William Christie American Friends of Les Arts Florissants BOARD OF DIRECTORS Judith Ginsberg and Sana H. Sabbagh Françoise Girard, Chair Paul Leclerc Beatrice Santo Domingo Susan L. Baker, Treasurer Bruce Horten and Aaron Lieber Daisy M. Soros Sydney H. Weinberg, The Kovner Foundation Beatrice Stern Secretary James C. Marlas and Supporters ($500+) Nizam Kettaneh Marie Nugent-Head Marlas Atelier Meriguet Carrère Paul LeClerc Patrons ($1,500+) Lauren Belfer and Helen Little David Arms and Daniel Leigh Michael Marissen Charles Price Mercedes T. Bass Lois Conway Bernard Selz Norman Benzaquen and Patricia Arostegui Cossutta Ex officio: Judy Zankel Donald Crawshaw and Noreen Buckfire, Chair, Sarah Billinghurst and Matthew Hoffman The Maestro’s Circle Howard Solomon Mary-Sargent D’Anglejan Visionaries ($50,000+) Nicolas Chambeyron Francois-Hugues and Robert Fisher Daniel C. Cochran and Nicole de Montmorin Françoise Girard and Greg B. Sutphin Jennie L. and David G. Knott Thomas L. Colville Richard K. DeScherer The Florence Gould Foundation Marina Couloucoundis Joseph Disponzio The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Michel and Hélène David-Weill Marie-Pierre and Kaye Foundation Effie and Robert Fribourg Michael Ellmann Helen and William Little Patrick A. Gerschel Marilyn and Lawrence Friedland Charles and Jessie Price Dorothy Tapper Goldman Nomi Ghez and Michael Siegal The Selz Foundation Jerome L. Greene Foundation Karen and Kevin Kennedy The Versailles Foundation, Inc Susan Gutfreund Alexander Leff Sidney J. Weinberg Jr. Alice and David Hunt Aimee and William Maroney Foundation Cynthia H. Polsky and Wendy A. McCain Leon Polsky Michel Longchampt and Leaders ($25,000+) Susan Baker and Michael Lynch Harry Lee and Clive Potter Odile de Schiétère-Longchampt Dunard Fund USA John Lipsky Susan and Jon Rotenstreich Nizam Kettaneh Peter Marino Margery Arent Safir Katharine Rayner Monika McLennan Hume R. Steyer Nancy O’Boyle Bahjat Talhouni Benefactors ($10,000+) Theodore C. and Elizabeth Tunick Noreen and Kenneth Buckfire Elizabeth B. Rogers Margriet Van Houtte and Paul and Carol Collins Eileen Rosenau Ferdinand Verdonck This list includes all support received from Dec. 5, 2018 to September 9, 2020 With the Support of the Selz Foundation Matching Fund Challenge Why you should become a friend of Les Arts Florissants Les Arts Florissants 2016 Les Arts Florissants needs Where your donation goes the additional support of generous donors like you Your donations will fund Les Arts Florissants’ mission and to pursue its artistic and outreach, along with its education programs, including: educational mission and strengthen its ties to the • Ongoing touring across North America and United States. throughout the world, and creation of new concert programs and opera productions. Becoming an American Friend is an investment • Les Arts Florissants’ unique collaboration with The in the future. It allows you Juilliard School, which builds bridges between Europe to take a significant role in and the United States. the organization’s activities • Development of a new generation of singers through and become part of a Le Jardin des Voix, a coveted training program for unique musical adventure. young professional singers. Since 2002, it has provided As an American Friend, 57 singers from 17 countries with their first major you contribute to a vital performing experience. cultural heritage, providing Americans ―— and performing • Assistance to Les Arts Flos Juniors, a program that arts lovers the world over — enables students from International conservatories in the opportunity to discover the U.S., Europe, and Asia to join selected performances and enjoy the world-class with the Orchestra or Chorus each season. performances of Les Arts Florissants and exquisite • Presentation of Dans les Jardins de William Christie Baroque music. You support and development of the permanent artistic venue in young talents and watch the Vendée, which was recently granted the title of them grow into tomorrow’s Centre Culturel de Rencontre. Since 2012, the summer rising stars, and ensure that music festival brings together Les Arts Florissants, the Ensemble continues to students from The Juilliard School, Arts Flo Juniors and Le flourish, as its name suggests. Jardin des Voix in the lush greenery of William Christie’s gardens, a French “Monument Historique.” Photo Credits Above: Julien Gazeau Back Cover: Julien Benhamou Why you should become a friend of Les Arts Florissants Every gift helps! DONATION FORM Make yours today and keep I/We wish to make a $____________ gift to the American Friends the passion for Baroque of Les Arts Florissants* flourishing! Visionaries (1,2,3,4,5,6,7) Name (please print name as you wish to be listed in any written materials) $50,000+ Leaders (1,2,3,4,5) Street Address ($25,000–$49,999) Benefactors (1,2,3,4,5) City State Zip ($10,000–$24,999)