Les Talens Lyriques


The French musical ensemble Les Talens Lyriques was created in 1991 in Paris, France, by the harpsichordist and orchestral conductor Christophe Rousset. This instrumental and vocal formation derives its name from the subtitle of Les fêtes d'Hébé an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau.

Description

The repertoire of Les Talens Lyriques extends from Monteverdi, Francesco Cavalli to Handel, taking in on the way Jean-Baptiste Lully, Henri Desmarets, Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, Cimarosa, Tommaso Traetta, Jommelli, Martin y Soler, Mozart, Salieri, Rameau, Gluck and Beethoven, and not forgetting Cherubini, García, Berlioz, Massenet and Saint-Saëns.
The revival of such scores has gone hand in hand with close collaboration with stage directors and choreographers such as Pierre Audi, Jean-Marie Villégier, David McVicar, Éric Vigner,,,,,,,, Robert Carsen, and David Hermann.
In addition to the lyrical repertoire, the ensemble also explores other musical genres such as the madrigal, cantata, air de cour, symphony, and the vast repertoire of sacred music, leading Les Talens Lyriques to perform everywhere in the world with forces varying from a handful of musicians to over sixty from all generations.
In 2018–19 Les Talens Lyriques return to their first love, with a season entitled "The Temptation of Italy". Vocality will be celebrated in works ranging from masterpieces by Monteverdi, Purcell, Handel and Mozart to rarely heard or unpublished scores by Legrenzi, Salieri, Leo, and Porpora. After celebrating Telemann in 2017, the ensemble will be acting as François Couperin’s representative abroad when they take his music to the American continent for the 350th anniversary of the composer’s birth. "Couperin Year" will also be celebrated with recordings: Les Nations and the Concerts Royaux are to be released on the Aparté label.
The discography of Les Talens Lyriques comprises around forty titles on numerous labels: Erato, Fnac Music, Auvidis, Decca, Naïve, Ambroisie, Virgin Classics and now Aparté. The ensemble is also responsible for the much-acclaimed soundtrack of the film Farinelli.
Since 2007 Les Talens Lyriques have been devoting some of their time to introducing secondary school pupils to the world of music with a programme of workshops and teaching residencies, leading a practical orchestral class and, from 2014, developing new and innovative technological resources designed to help young people discover and appreciate the Baroque repertoire.
The ensemble receives subsidies from the French Ministry of Culture and the City of Paris, and generous support from its Circle of Patrons.
Since 2011 Les Talens Lyriques have been associate artists, in residence at the Singer-Polignac Foundation in Paris.
Les Talens Lyriques are founding members of FEVIS and PROFEDIM.

Recordings

Les Talens Lyriques has recorded the following works:

Operas