left picture: Christophe Rousset. proper picture: Jonathan Woody. Pictures by Caitlin Oldham; courtesy of Opera Lafayette.
The first focus of the night’s live performance, François Couperin, composed music for Louis XIV’s courtroom recitals close to the top of his reign. The extremely regarded composer was often called Couperin le Grand to differentiate himself from different members of a musically proficient household. This rigorously targeted program was organized by renown harpsichordist and conductor Christophe Rousset who additionally performed, fantastically I’d add, anchoring this system. Mr. Rousset is founder and director of the French famed early music ensemble, Les Talens Lyriques. He was joined by Opera Lafayette’s concertmaster Jacob Ashworth on baroque violin, additionally by Joshua Keller on viola da gamba, and Immanuel Davis on baroque flute. Opera, within the period of Couperin’s affect, was not favored by the courtroom. Doubtless because of this, this system included solely cantatas with vocals by bass-baritone Jonathan Woody; Mr. Woody has typically appeared with Opera Lafayette and continues with the corporate as refrain personnel supervisor. Total, this system included three cantatas, one by Couperin, separated by two chamber live performance works by Couperin:
Cantate: La Morte d’Hercule by Louis Nicolas Clérambault
Live performance no. 7: from “Les Goûts Réunis, ou Nouveaux Concert events” by François Couperin
Cantate: Ariane console per Bacchus by François Couperin
Intermission
Live performance no. 3: from “Concert events royaux” by François Couperin
Cantate: L’Enlèvement d’Orithie by Michel Pignolet de Montéclair
