Les Arts Florissants is a French Baroque musical ensemblein residence at the Philharmonie de Paris in Paris housed in the Philharmonie de Paris. The organization was founded by conductor William Christie in 1979. The ensemble derives its name from the 1685 opera Les Arts florissants by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The organization consists of a chamber orchestra of period instruments and a small vocal ensemble. Christie remains the organization's artistic director, alongside British tenor Paul Agnew who became co-musical director in 2020.
Work
Although not specifically a Baroque opera ensemble, it is within this field that Les Arts Florissants has achieved its greatest successes. The majority of the ensemble's performances are of period operas (both staged and in concert), many of which are available on CD on the Harmonia Mundi and Erato labels and on DVD. The group first drew international acclaim in the area of opera in December 1986-January 1987 with a production of Jean-Baptiste Lully's Atys at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. The opera had not been performed since 1753 and Christie had unearthed the score at the Bibliothèque nationale de France and created a performing edition. William Christie: "There were a number of important moments in the history of the Arts Florissants, but there's one moment that obviously stands out – and that's the moment when we produced Atys." Christie had been approached by the director of the Paris Opera, Massimo Bogianckino, to think about putting on a Lully opera. Christie was advised by the Opéra-Comique's Thierry Fouquet that Quinault's libretto for Atys would demand an extraordinary stage director – took this roleLes Arts Florissants ou La Bande à Bill, film by Reiner E. Moritz, 2005 and he, together with Christie, created Atys. The production marked the renaissance of Baroque opera in France.
The ensemble has continued in a similar vein, by presenting Marc-Antoine Charpentier's opéra Médée in 1993 and many rarely heard works at their home in Caen and on the stages of major opera houses and concert venues like the Teatro Real, the Opéra national du Rhin, the Opéra National de Paris, Carnegie Hall, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Barbican Centre. The ensemble also occasionally presents works from the standard repertoire, most particularly a number of operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Les Arts Florissants has also had a number of successes in the concert repertoire. The organization has performed and recorded a number of oratorios, cantatas, madrigals, masses, motets, and other musical forms typical of early music. Occasionally, the ensemble has made forays into contemporary repertoire, notably performing the world premiere of Betsy Jolas's Motets III – Hunc igitur terrorem at a gala on the occasion of the ensemble's 20th anniversary in 1999.
Many former members of Les Arts Florissants have gone on to have successful music careers outside of the organization. These include several internationally renowned conductors in the field of early music such as Marc Minkowski (founder of Les Musiciens du Louvre), Christophe Rousset (founder of Les Talens Lyriques), Hugo Reyne (founder of La Simphonie du Marais), and Hervé Niquet (founder of Le Concert Spirituel).
Partial list of productions
1982: Les arts florissants (Charpentier) 1983: Dido and Aeneas (Purcell) 1983: Il ballo delle ingrate (Monteverdi) 1985: Actéon (Charpentier) 1985: Anacréon (Rameau) 1985: La Passion selon Saint-Jean (Bach) 1986: Actéon (Charpentier) 1986: Anacréon (Rameau) 1986: Atys (Lully) 1987: Atys (Lully) 1989: Atys (Lully) 1989: The Fairy Queen (Purcell) 1990: Les Indes galantes (Rameau) 1990: Le Malade imaginaire (Charpentier) 1990: Les Indes galantes (Rameau) 1991: Castor et Pollux (Rameau) 1992: Atys (Lully) 1993: Médée (Charpentier) 1993: Orlando (Handel) 1993: Les Indes galantes (Rameau) 1994: Médée (Charpentier) 1994: Die Zauberflöte (Mozart) 1994: Médée (Charpentier) 1995: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart) 1995: Die Zauberflöte (Mozart) 1995: King Arthur (Purcell) 1996: Acis and Galatea (Handel) 1996: Alcina (Handel) 1996: Hippolyte et Aricie (Rameau) 1996: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart) 1996: Semele (Handel) 1997: Hippolyte et Aricie (Rameau) 1997: Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) 1998: Les Pèlerins de la Mecque (Gluck) 1999: Les Indes galantes (Rameau) 1999: Alcina (Handel) 2000: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (Monteverdi) 2000: Les Indes galantes (Rameau) 2001: Il Tito (Cesti) 2002: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (Monteverdi) 2002: L'incoronazione di Poppea (Monteverdi) 2003: Les Boréades (Rameau) 2003: Les Indes galantes (Rameau) 2003: Serse (Handel) 2004: Les Paladins (Rameau) 2004: Hercules (Handel) 2006: Hercules (Handel) 2006: Die Zauberflöte (Mozart) 2006: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart) 2008: Armide (Lully) 2010: The Fairy Queen (Purcell) 2012 David et Jonathas (Charpentier) Festival d'Aix en Provence 2015: Un Jardin à l'Italienne
Discography
Caecelia, virgo et martyr H.413, Filius prodigus H.399, Magnificat à 3 voix H.73, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1979 Cantique de Moÿse; Veni sponsa mea; Trois fantaisies à quatre pour les violes; Espoir de toute âme affligée; O bone Jesu, Étienne Moulinié, Harmonia Mundi, 1980 Madrigaux des VIIe et VIIIe livres, Claudio Monteverdi, Harmonia Mundi, 1981 Pastorale sur la naissance de N.S. Jesus-Christ, H.483 ; In nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi canticum H.414; Magnificat à 3 voix, H.73, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi 1982 Actéon H.481, Intermèdes pour Le mariage forcé H.494 ii, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi 1982 Les Antiennes "O" de l'Avent H.36 – H.43, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, LP Harmonia Mundi, 1982. Grand prix du disque académie Charles Cros. Anacréon ballet en un acte, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Harmonia Mundi, 1982 Les Arts florissants H.487, Ouverture de la Comtesse d'Escarbagnas H.494 i & Intermèdes nouveaux du Mariage forcé H.494 ii, Marc-Antoine Charpentier Harmonia Mundi, 1982 Un Oratorio de Noël; In nativitatem Domini canticum, H.416; Sur la naissance de Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ H.482 de Marc Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1983 Ballo delle ingrate : livre VIII des madrigaux; Sestina, Claudio Monteverdi, Harmonia Mundi, 1983 Médée H.491, tragédie lyrique en un prologue et cinq actes, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1984–2019 Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros, La Référence Compcact magazine, Sélection Télérama ffff, Diapason d'or, Le Timbre d'Argent de la revue Opéra, Diamant de Harmonie panorama musique, Gramophone award 1985, International Record Critics Award Montreux 1985, Prix Opus 1985 USA, Choc de Classica 2019 Le Reniement de Saint Pierre H.424 ; Méditations pour la Carême H.380 – H.389, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1985 Missa Assumpta est Maria H.11, Domine salvum H.303, Litanies de la Vierge H.83, Te deum H.146, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi 1988 Madrigal classique, madrigal soliste, comédie madrigalesque. L’âge d’or du madrigal, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1998 Madrigaux à 5 voix, Carlo Gesualdo, prince de Venosa, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1988 The Fairy-Queen, Henry Purcell, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1989 Oratorio per la Settimana Santa; Un peccator pentito, Luigi Rossi, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1989 Les antiennes "O" de l'Avent : H.36 à H.43 ; Noël sur les instruments : H.534; In Nativitatem D.N.J.C. canticum : H.414, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Arles, CD Harmonia Mundi, 1990 Le Malade imaginaire H.495, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Harmonia Mundi, 1990 Cantates, Louis-Nicolas Clérambault, Harmonia Mundi, 1990 Te Deum; Super flumina Babilonis; Confitebor tibi Domine, Michel-Richard Delalande, Harmonia Mundi, 1991 Les vingt figures réthoriques [sic] d'une passion XXe festival de Saintes, Francesco Cavalli, Luigi Rossi, et al. [S.l.], K. 617, 1991 Orfeo, Luigi Rossi, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1991 Pièces de clavecin (1724) Les Indes galantes: suite d'orchestre; Anacréon : ballet en un acte, scène 5; In convertendo, grand motet, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 Pygmalion; Nélée et Myrthis, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 Rameau, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi Plus, 1992 Motets & Madrigaux Il ballo delle ingrate; Selva morale; L'incoronazione di Poppea, Claudio Monteverdi, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 Airs de cour (1689), Michel Lambert, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 Idoménée, André Campra, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1992 Atys, tragédie lyrique en un prologue et cinq actes; Dies Irae; Petits motets; Airs pour le clavecin, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Harmonia Mundi, 1993 Lully, Jean Baptiste Lully, Arles, France : Harmonia Mundi, 1993 Te Deum; motets, Guillaume Bouzignac, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1993 King Arthur, Henry Purcell, [S.l.n.d.], 1995 Baroque Festival vol. 1. Firenze, CD Classica, 1993 Médée H.491, tragédie lyrique en un prologue et cinq actes, Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Erato 1994 10 de Répertoire, Choc du Monde de la Musique, Diapason d'or, Diamant Opéra magazine. A Purcell companion, Henry Purcell, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1994 Messiah, George Frideric Handel, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1994 Dido & Æneas, Henry Purcell, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1994 Concerti grossi, Op. 6, George Frideric Handel, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1995 Requiem : KV 626, Ave verum corpus : KV 618, Introitus, Kyrie, Dies irae (excerpts), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Paris, Erato, 1995 Jefferson in Paris, Richard Robbins, New York, Angel, 1995 La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers H.488, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Erato, 1995 Les Plaisirs de Versailles H.480, Airs sur les Stances du Cid H.457, H.458, H.459, Amor vince ogni cosa H.492, Erato 1996 Il Sant'Alessio, Stefano Landi, Paris, Erato, 1996 De Lully à Rameau, Jean-Baptiste Lully, et al. Harmonia Mundi, 1996 Il Ballo delle ingrate Sestina, Claudio Monteverdi, Harmonia Mundi, 1996 Die Zauberflöte KV 620, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Erato, 1996 Hippolyte et Aricie, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Erato, 1997 Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, Claudio Monteverdi, Harmonia Mundi, 1997 Leçons de ténèbres, François Couperin, Erato, 1997 Petits motets, Michel-Richard Delalande, Harmonia Mundi, 1997 Le Grand Siècle français musique au temps de Louis XIV de Kenneth Gilbert, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1997 Les Fêtes d’Hébé, Jean-Philippe Rameau, [S.l.s.n.], 1997 Divertissements, airs et concerts, Il faut rire et chanter, dispute de bergers H.424, La Pierre philosophale H.501, + (H.469, H.467, H.442, H.449 b, H.462, H.452, H.443, H.441, H.455, H.467, H.446, H.447, H.454, H.461, H.545) de Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Paris, Erato, 1998 David et Jonathas H.490, tragédie lyrique en cinq actes, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1998 Voyage en Italie : deux siècles de musique à Rome, Venise, Ferrare, 1550-1750, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1998 La musique sacrée à travers les âges, Marc-Antoine Charpentier et al., [S.l.], Harmonia Mundi, 1998 Musique de ballet 1979-1999 : 20e anniversaire Les Arts Florissants, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Paris, Erato, 1999 Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, Schäfer, Petibon, Christie, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, [S.l.n.d], 1999 Soleil, musiques au siècle de Louis XIV, Paris, Erato, 1999 Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Paris, Erato, 1999 Great Mass in C minor K.427, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Paris, Erato, 1999 Acis and Galatea, George Frideric Handel, Paris, Erato, 1999 Castor et Pollux : chœurs et danses, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 1999 Cantates françaises, André Campra, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 2000 Messe de minuit H.9, In nativitatem Domini canticum H.416, Noël sur les instruments H.531 N° 2, H.534 N° 3,4,6. Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Erato 2000 Grands Motets lorrains pour Louis XIV, Henri Desmarets, Paris, Erato, 2000 Alcina, George Frideric Handel, Paris, Erato, 2000 Zoroastre, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Paris, Erato, 2002 Jephté, Michel Pignolet de Montéclair, Arles, Harmonia Mundi, 2002