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The instrumental and vocal music ensemble Les Talens Lyriques was formed twenty years ago by the harpsichordist and conductor Christophe Rousset. The group takes its name from the sub-title of an opera by Rameau: Les Fêtes d’Hébé (1739).
Exploring an extensive vocal and instrumental repertoire from Early Baroque to the Romantics, this French ensemble performs great masterpieces and unpublished works from, among other composers, Monteverdi, Cavalli, Handel, Couperin, Lully, Desmarest, Mondonville, Cimarosa, Traetta, Jommelli, Martin y Soler, Mozart, Salieri, Rameau, Purcell, Gluck, Beethoven, Cherubini, Berlioz, Massenet and Saint-Saëns.
Driven by a passion for the voice and opera – Les Talens Lyriques performed the celebrated sound-track to the film Farinelli (1994) – Christophe Rousset works with the most highly renowned stage directors of our time: Pierre Audi, Jean-Marie Villégier, David McVicar, Eric Vigner, Ludovic Lagarde, Mariame Clément, Jean-Pierre Vincent, Laura Scozzi, Marcial di Fonzo Bo, Claus Gut, and others.
In 2013/2014, the ensemble will be continuing to divide its time between stage productions: Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo for the Opéra national de Lorraine, Alcina at the Opéra national de Paris, Les Indes galantes at the Opéra national de Bordeaux, The Messiah at the Theater an der Wien, Platée at the Opéra national du Rhin, and concert tours: Opéra royal de Versailles (Lully’s Amadis, Salieri’s Les Danaïdes), the Beaune and Ambronay festivals, Salle Pleyel, Arsenal de Metz, Opéra de Dijon, Grand Théâtre de Provence, Dortmund/Klangvokal, Concertgebouw Bruges, Wigmore Hall and the Barbican Centre in London, the Essen Philharmonia, the Edinburgh Festival, Graz, etc.).
The ensemble’s discography includes forty or so successes issued by, among others Erato, Decca, Naïve and Virgin Classics. Their work has been notably rewarded with a Victoire de la Musique Classique in 2001. This season will see CDs of Sacchini’s Renaud, Salieri’s Danaïdes (Palazzetto Bru Zane) and Lully’s Phaéton (Aparté).
Since 2007 the ensemble has been working to introduce young secondary school pupils in Paris to music by organising numerous workshops and innovative teaching residencies.
In 2014, Les Talens Lyriques and Christophe Rousset, as loyal ambassadors for Rameau’s music, will be playing an active role in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the composer’s death (Platée, Les Indes galantes, Zaïs, Pièces de clavecin en concerts among other works).
Les Talens Lyriques are supported by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication and Paris City Hall. They also receive support from the Annenberg Foundation’s GRoW - Gregory and Regina Annenberg Weingarten -, the Primonial Group and the Les Talens Lyriques Sponsors’ Circle.
Les Talens Lyriques are founding members of FEVIS and PROFEDIM.