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William Christie: “French arrogance is a melody I love”

2024-04-07T14:33:59.623Z

Highlights: William Christie is the founder of Les Arts Florissants. He returns to the profession with one of his flagship titles: “Médée’, by Charpentier. His ensemble and a host of young singers, including Léa Desandre as Médée and Reinoud Van Mechelen as Jason, will perform in a new production by David McVicar. “French arrogance is a melody I love,” he says. ‘I’m a Frenchman. I love France.’


INTERVIEW - At the dawn of his 80th birthday, the chef and founder of Les Arts Florissants returns to the profession, at the Palais Garnier, one of his flagship titles: “Médée”, by Charpentier. The opportunity, for the most French of Americans, to look back on fifty years of baroque music and love of France.


It was in his lair - his Parisian apartment in the Marais, a stone's throw from the Saint-Paul district - that “Bill” Christie received us. The opportunity to indulge without reservation for those who are about to direct Marc-Antoine Charpentier's unique lyrical tragedy at the Palais Garnier. His ensemble and a host of young singers, including Léa Desandre as Médée and Reinoud Van Mechelen as Jason, will perform in a new production by David McVicar.

LE FIGARO. - Forty years after recording it for the first time you return to

Médée

. What role did this opera by Charpentier play in your development?

William CHRISTIE. -

When I founded the ensemble des Arts Florissants in 1979 I already had the idea that

Medea

was the goal to achieve. I wanted to have sufficient skills and staff to produce a

David and Jonathan

or a

Medea

. To get there, our path went through smaller forms, like the chamber opera

Les Arts Florissants,

which was part of our…

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Source: lefigaro

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