Following the magical performance of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen at Caramoor in 2024, pioneering conductor and harpsichordist William Christie returns to present the work that gave his renowned Baroque ensemble its name: Les Arts Florissants. In this double bill, two miniature operatic gems by Marc-Antoine Charpentier shimmer with expressive choruses, eloquent declamation, courtly airs, and vibrant instrumental colors, revealing the French composer’s dramatic genius. The performance features soloists from Le Jardin des Voix, the ensemble’s international academy for young singers.

EPSG:4326

Charpentier's Les Arts Florissants & La Descente d'Orphée aux enfers

Venetian Theater at Caramoor

Israel in Egypt – Escape to Exile I

Saanen Church

Opening Concert – Israel in Egypt – Escape to Exile I

The Konzerthausorchester invites families to the Great Hall on Sundays at 11.00 - croissants and hot chocolate included! A musician always leads through the program. They reveal secrets from everyday life in the orchestra and invite you to join in. Meanwhile, younger siblings between the ages of 3 and 6 are very welcome at the “Musical childcare”.

Mozart-Matinee

Konzerthaus Berlin

„It's the sound in particular. Nobody else has it in this way [...] . And I think it's also the way you present the music to the audience. For me, it's very important that you have very quick access to the audience.“ This is how the renowned American baroque specialist, conductor and harpsichordist William Christie describes the French ensemble Les Arts Florissants, which he has led since 1979.

Konzerthausorchester Berlin, William Christie

Enjoy a new perspective on the hugely popular period ensemble Les Arts Florissants in Zankel Hall Center Stage, which invites audiences to sit on all sides of the performers. Led by William Christie on the occasion of his 80th birthday, this special concert features works by the French Baroque composers he has championed throughout his career—including Charpentier, Lully, and Rameau—with guest vocalists.

Les Arts Florissants

Carnegie Hall

Watch the performance on this page at the scheduled date and time. This performance won’t be available to stream afterward on demand. Should you have trouble accessing the stream via this page, please visit juilliard.live to stream this program.

Juilliard415 | Arias and Suites by Handel and Rameau

The Juilliard School

Les Arts Florissants’ new production of Purcell’s masterpiece invites us to plunge into an enchanting and playful universe — an enchanted forest where reality mingles with dreams, illusion, and the supernatural, as young people gather to indulge in the magic of nature. As the tunes and dances unfold, the boundaries between dancers, singers, and musicians become blurred … leading to the creation of an egalitarian and fraternal community, united by the joy of music. Renowned for his fusion of classical influence and contemporary innovation, French-Algerian choreographer Mourad Merzouki’s staging promises a unique, visually spectacular, and emotionally powerful evening.

Purcell’s The Fairy Queen

Les Arts Florissants returns with its inspirational founder-director William Christie and co-director Paul Agnew to celebrate the work of a true musical revolutionary. Claudio Monteverdi’s expressive art, honed to perfection in his secular madrigals, trains the spotlight on intense emotions and vivid contrasts, qualities explored and absorbed by Les Arts Florissants over long years of experience. This evening’s programme includes the compelling drama of Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda and heart-melting Tirsi e Clori.

William Christie

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 26, 2026

Les Arts Florissants; William Christie director, harpsichord, organ; Paul Agnew director, tenor · Wigmore Hall

Past events

Jul 17, 2026

Charpentier's Les Arts Florissants & La Descente d'Orphée aux enfers · Caramoor

Jul 19, 2025

Israel in Egypt – Escape to Exile I · Gstaad Menuhin Festival

Future and recently performed repertoire

Conductor in Symphony No. 85 by Haydn

Konzerthausorchester Berlin

Conductor in Idomeneo by Mozart

Konzerthausorchester Berlin

Conductor in Israel in Egypt by Handel

Gstaad Menuhin Festival

Conductor in Litaniae Lauretanae by Mozart

Konzerthausorchester Berlin

Conductor in Harmony Mass by Haydn

Konzerthausorchester Berlin

Conductor in Les arts florissants by Charpentier

Caramoor

Conductor in La descente d'Orphée aux enfers by Charpentier

Caramoor

About

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