Return to flip book view

- 4 - - 5 -Since 1998, the Poème Harmonique has brought together, around its founder Vincent Dumestre, passionate musicians devoted to the interpreta-tion of 17th and 18th century music. Their field of action? Well-known and little-known works from the daily life and ceremonies of Versailles (Lalande, Lully, Couperin, Clérambault, Char-pentier...), Baroque Italy from Monteverdi and Pergolesi, or the England of Purcell. Inventive and demanding programmes that forge new links between the secular and the sacred, learned music and popular sources, but that also com-bine music with theatre, dance and the circus. In opera, the ensemble is recognised as a world benchmark for its interpretations of works by Lully, Cavalli and Monteverdi, and its collabora-tion with director Benjamin Lazar has produced shows that have been unanimously acclaimed by critics and audiences alike.Le Poème Harmonique never ceases to surprise audiences by revealing forgotten treasures (in autumn 2024 L’Homme-Femme, an irresistible comedy of the genre by Galuppi, directed by Agnès Jaoui - Opéra de Dijon, Théâtre de Caen and Opéra royal de Versailles), by offering a new approach to the greatest masterpieces (Il Nerone or L’Incoronazione di Poppea with the Académie de l’Opéra National de Paris), or by integrating processions and striking spatial effects into the concerts.With some sixty performances given each year, Le Poème Harmonique is a familiar name at the world’s greatest festivals and concert halls - Opéra- Comique, Opéra Royal of Versailles, Philhar-monie de Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Festivals of Ambronay, Beaune and Sablé, Teatro Real (Madrid), Wigmore Hall (London), NCPA (Beijing), Philharmonie of Berlin, Wiener Kon-zerthaus, Concertgebouw (Bruges), BOZAR (Brussels), Oji Hall (Tokyo), Columbia Uni-versity (New York), Teatro San Carlo (Naples), Accademia Santa Cecilia (Rome), Philharmonie de Saint-Pierre (Paris), and the BBC Proms.... Le Poème Harmonique remains deeply commit-ted to Normandy, its home region, the cradle of its many creations and the ideal setting for its educational and social initiatives and its work to integrate young professional musicians.Le Poème Harmonique

- 4 - - 5 -Since 1998, the Poème Harmonique has brought together, around its founder Vincent Dumestre, passionate musicians devoted to the interpreta-tion of 17th and 18th century music. Their field of action? Well-known and little-known works from the daily life and ceremonies of Versailles (Lalande, Lully, Couperin, Clérambault, Char-pentier...), Baroque Italy from Monteverdi and Pergolesi, or the England of Purcell. Inventive and demanding programmes that forge new links between the secular and the sacred, learned music and popular sources, but that also com-bine music with theatre, dance and the circus. In opera, the ensemble is recognised as a world benchmark for its interpretations of works by Lully, Cavalli and Monteverdi, and its collabora-tion with director Benjamin Lazar has produced shows that have been unanimously acclaimed by critics and audiences alike.Le Poème Harmonique never ceases to surprise audiences by revealing forgotten treasures (in autumn 2024 L’Homme-Femme, an irresistible comedy of the genre by Galuppi, directed by Agnès Jaoui - Opéra de Dijon, Théâtre de Caen and Opéra royal de Versailles), by offering a new approach to the greatest masterpieces (Il Nerone or L’Incoronazione di Poppea with the Académie de l’Opéra National de Paris), or by integrating processions and striking spatial effects into the concerts.With some sixty performances given each year, Le Poème Harmonique is a familiar name at the world’s greatest festivals and concert halls - Opéra- Comique, Opéra Royal of Versailles, Philhar-monie de Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Festivals of Ambronay, Beaune and Sablé, Teatro Real (Madrid), Wigmore Hall (London), NCPA (Beijing), Philharmonie of Berlin, Wiener Kon-zerthaus, Concertgebouw (Bruges), BOZAR (Brussels), Oji Hall (Tokyo), Columbia Uni-versity (New York), Teatro San Carlo (Naples), Accademia Santa Cecilia (Rome), Philharmonie de Saint-Pierre (Paris), and the BBC Proms.... Le Poème Harmonique remains deeply commit-ted to Normandy, its home region, the cradle of its many creations and the ideal setting for its educational and social initiatives and its work to integrate young professional musicians.Le Poème Harmonique

- 6 - - 7 -The ensemble’s discography now includes some fifty works that have been regularly acclaimed by the critics, as well as numerous public suc-cesses. Mon Amant de Saint-Jean, a singing tour from the Baroque to the Roaring Twenties with Stéphanie d’Oustrac, has been released by Alpha Classics. After the world premiere of Cavalli’s L’Egisto, already awarded a Choc by Classica and the prestigious Preis der deutschen Schal-lplattenkritik, Château de Versailles Spectacles pusblished Lully’s Armide in spring 2024. The 2024-2025 season will be punctuated by the release of two choral masterpieces: Monteverdi Testamento - Vespro della Madonna 1643, in No-vember, and Henry Purcell’s Hail! Bright Cecilia in April.Vincent DumestreHis strong taste for the arts, his creative sense of Baroque aesthetics, his explorer’s flame and his taste for collective adventure naturally led him to explore the repertoires of the 17th and 18th centuries and to create a tailor-made ensemble. With his Poème Harmonique, Vincent Du-mestre is now one of the most inventive and ver-satile architects of the Baroque revival, directing orchestras, choirs, musical seasons, competitions and festivals, without abandoning the practice of his first instruments, the plucked strings.Vincent Dumestre began his career in concert and on recordings with the pioneers who worked to discover, understand and revive this music from another time. After graduating from the École du Louvre (art history) and the École normale de musique de Paris (classical guitar), he studied lute, baroque guitar and theorbo with Hopkinson Smith, Eugène Ferré and Rolf Lislevand. For a time he played with the Ricer-car Consort, La Grande Écurie & La Chambre du Roy, Hespèrion XX and La Simphonie du Marais, before founding Le Poème Harmonique in 1998.Since then, from exhumations to reconstruc-tions, from well-known composers to unexpected programmes, he has never ceased to offer ge-nuine creations, opening up the horizons of a whole range of vocal and instrumental music, and giving it a wide exposure that has become a benchmark.Vincent Dumestre is in demand at the leading international venues for baroque music - with Le Poème Harmonique, Vincent Dumestre also develops part of his activitý in Normandy, his ensemble’s region of residence (programming the Saisons Baroques at the Chapelle Corneille, directing the Corneille Competition, the Inter-national Baroque Singing Competition, l’École Harmonique, a school children’s orchestra in partnership with the Philharmonie de Paris’s Démos project). Vincent Dumestre is artistic director of the Saisons Baroques du Jura. After the remarkable success of the 2017 edition, for which he was responsible for programming, he has been invited by the city of Krakow to take on the artistic direction of the Misteria Paschalia festival in 2024, a world reference for Baroque music in the Easter period. for Baroque music during the Easter season.Vincent Dumestre is an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters and a Knight of the National Order of Merit.

- 6 - - 7 -The ensemble’s discography now includes some fifty works that have been regularly acclaimed by the critics, as well as numerous public suc-cesses. Mon Amant de Saint-Jean, a singing tour from the Baroque to the Roaring Twenties with Stéphanie d’Oustrac, has been released by Alpha Classics. After the world premiere of Cavalli’s L’Egisto, already awarded a Choc by Classica and the prestigious Preis der deutschen Schal-lplattenkritik, Château de Versailles Spectacles pusblished Lully’s Armide in spring 2024. The 2024-2025 season will be punctuated by the release of two choral masterpieces: Monteverdi Testamento - Vespro della Madonna 1643, in No-vember, and Henry Purcell’s Hail! Bright Cecilia in April.Vincent DumestreHis strong taste for the arts, his creative sense of Baroque aesthetics, his explorer’s flame and his taste for collective adventure naturally led him to explore the repertoires of the 17th and 18th centuries and to create a tailor-made ensemble. With his Poème Harmonique, Vincent Du-mestre is now one of the most inventive and ver-satile architects of the Baroque revival, directing orchestras, choirs, musical seasons, competitions and festivals, without abandoning the practice of his first instruments, the plucked strings.Vincent Dumestre began his career in concert and on recordings with the pioneers who worked to discover, understand and revive this music from another time. After graduating from the École du Louvre (art history) and the École normale de musique de Paris (classical guitar), he studied lute, baroque guitar and theorbo with Hopkinson Smith, Eugène Ferré and Rolf Lislevand. For a time he played with the Ricer-car Consort, La Grande Écurie & La Chambre du Roy, Hespèrion XX and La Simphonie du Marais, before founding Le Poème Harmonique in 1998.Since then, from exhumations to reconstruc-tions, from well-known composers to unexpected programmes, he has never ceased to offer ge-nuine creations, opening up the horizons of a whole range of vocal and instrumental music, and giving it a wide exposure that has become a benchmark.Vincent Dumestre is in demand at the leading international venues for baroque music - with Le Poème Harmonique, Vincent Dumestre also develops part of his activitý in Normandy, his ensemble’s region of residence (programming the Saisons Baroques at the Chapelle Corneille, directing the Corneille Competition, the Inter-national Baroque Singing Competition, l’École Harmonique, a school children’s orchestra in partnership with the Philharmonie de Paris’s Démos project). Vincent Dumestre is artistic director of the Saisons Baroques du Jura. After the remarkable success of the 2017 edition, for which he was responsible for programming, he has been invited by the city of Krakow to take on the artistic direction of the Misteria Paschalia festival in 2024, a world reference for Baroque music in the Easter period. for Baroque music during the Easter season.Vincent Dumestre is an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters and a Knight of the National Order of Merit.

- 8 - - 9 -ormandyN2023 Edition:• 1st prize: Emilia Bertolini - soprano (Australia)• 2nd prize: Lauren Lodge - Campbell - soprano (Australia/United Kingdom)• Audience Prize: Richard Pittsinger - tenor (United States)• Young Talent Prize : Richard Pittsinger & Emilia BertoliniPresident of the Jury: Karina Gauvin - soprano (Canada)Next edition: September 2025Les Nouvelles Voix in NormandyA natural extension of the Corneille Competi-tion, the Nouvelle Voix en Normandie summer tour brings together the competition winners, the public and Normandy’s historical buildings.The dual aim of this initiative, launched by Le Poème Harmonique in July 2023, is to promote the careers of young artists while showcasing a region with an exceptionally rich architectural heritage. These intimate concerts in historic or atypical venues provide an ideal opportunity for an audience far removed from the usual concert networks to meet these young talents at the dawn of their professional careers.The young artists of the 21st century must also be increasingly active in defending the arts, music and their place in society. The best of them ask themselves how access to culture can contribute to social cohesion. In response to this question, concerts for audiences who are often excluded, particularly in EPHADS (Care homes for dependant seniors) in rural areas, are an inte-gral part of the tour. The young musicians are also invited to reflect on how they can arouse the curiosity of younger generations. Local children and teenagers are invited to the concerts to dis-cover both the music and the exceptional heri-tage of their region.3rd édition: 5 - 18 july 2025The Corneille CompetitionThe Corneille Competition - the International Baroque Vocal Competition of Normandy - is organised every two years by Le Poème Harmo-nique at the Chapelle Corneille in Rouen. An essential part of the cultural landscape of the city, this event brings together the best promi-sing international young stars of baroque sin-ging, rigorously selected from around a hundred applicants from the four corners of the globe. A real springboard for their professional careers, the competition gives candidates the opportu-nity to perform before a jury of recognised pro-fessionals, be they artists or producers, from the world of classical music.As all the rounds are open to the public, the competition aims to be accessible to as many people as possible. Particular attention is paid to young audiences, with classes from seve-ral of Rouen’s schools able to attend. Bringing the week’s events to a close, the final directly involves the public by inviting them to vote for their favourite candidate.Each edition of the competition mobilises a dynamic network of volunteers from the Rouen metropolitan area. As the contestants’ first line of support, they build up a special relationship with the performers, welcoming them into their homes during the competition week.

- 8 - - 9 -ormandyN2023 Edition:• 1st prize: Emilia Bertolini - soprano (Australia)• 2nd prize: Lauren Lodge - Campbell - soprano (Australia/United Kingdom)• Audience Prize: Richard Pittsinger - tenor (United States)• Young Talent Prize : Richard Pittsinger & Emilia BertoliniPresident of the Jury: Karina Gauvin - soprano (Canada)Next edition: September 2025Les Nouvelles Voix in NormandyA natural extension of the Corneille Competi-tion, the Nouvelle Voix en Normandie summer tour brings together the competition winners, the public and Normandy’s historical buildings.The dual aim of this initiative, launched by Le Poème Harmonique in July 2023, is to promote the careers of young artists while showcasing a region with an exceptionally rich architectural heritage. These intimate concerts in historic or atypical venues provide an ideal opportunity for an audience far removed from the usual concert networks to meet these young talents at the dawn of their professional careers.The young artists of the 21st century must also be increasingly active in defending the arts, music and their place in society. The best of them ask themselves how access to culture can contribute to social cohesion. In response to this question, concerts for audiences who are often excluded, particularly in EPHADS (Care homes for dependant seniors) in rural areas, are an inte-gral part of the tour. The young musicians are also invited to reflect on how they can arouse the curiosity of younger generations. Local children and teenagers are invited to the concerts to dis-cover both the music and the exceptional heri-tage of their region.3rd édition: 5 - 18 july 2025The Corneille CompetitionThe Corneille Competition - the International Baroque Vocal Competition of Normandy - is organised every two years by Le Poème Harmo-nique at the Chapelle Corneille in Rouen. An essential part of the cultural landscape of the city, this event brings together the best promi-sing international young stars of baroque sin-ging, rigorously selected from around a hundred applicants from the four corners of the globe. A real springboard for their professional careers, the competition gives candidates the opportu-nity to perform before a jury of recognised pro-fessionals, be they artists or producers, from the world of classical music.As all the rounds are open to the public, the competition aims to be accessible to as many people as possible. Particular attention is paid to young audiences, with classes from seve-ral of Rouen’s schools able to attend. Bringing the week’s events to a close, the final directly involves the public by inviting them to vote for their favourite candidate.Each edition of the competition mobilises a dynamic network of volunteers from the Rouen metropolitan area. As the contestants’ first line of support, they build up a special relationship with the performers, welcoming them into their homes during the competition week.

- 11 -‘Who, really, can boast, over the past20 years, of such a sum and succession ofof purely and simply brilliant CDs,of unparalleled intellectual prowessin the conception of the programmes, re-vealing forgotten and fascinating reper-toires in impeccably polished productions of heightened sensitivity?’Christophe Huss (Le Devoir, Canada)Over 40 recordings for Alpha Classics & Château de Versailles SpectaclesLatest releases:Coming soon: Hail ! Bright Cecilia I Purcell: release April 2025élection of recordingsS

- 11 -‘Who, really, can boast, over the past20 years, of such a sum and succession ofof purely and simply brilliant CDs,of unparalleled intellectual prowessin the conception of the programmes, re-vealing forgotten and fascinating reper-toires in impeccably polished productions of heightened sensitivity?’Christophe Huss (Le Devoir, Canada)Over 40 recordings for Alpha Classics & Château de Versailles SpectaclesLatest releases:Coming soon: Hail ! Bright Cecilia I Purcell: release April 2025élection of recordingsS

ponsorshipSSupporting Le Poème Harmonique means contributing to: Revealing and promoting an intangible heri-tage, source of a universal emotion: baroque music, 95% of whose repertoire has yet to be rediscovered. The carreer development of young musicians brought to light through initiatives such as the Concours Corneille, the international baroque vocal competition in Normandy launched in 2016, and regularly included in the ensemble’s casts. Making classical music more accessible for young people and audiences with disabilities. Benefit from exclusive advantages: sneak pre-views on the upcoming season, access to rehear-sals in the most prestigious halls during the highlights of the season, privileged meetingswith Vincent Dumestre and the artistic teams of Le Poème Harmonique...• for income tax purposes, the tax reduction is 66% of the amount of the donation up to 20% of taxable income, in France• in the context of corporation tax, corporate sponsorship entitles you to a tax reduction of 60% of the amount of the donation up to a limit of 5‰ of turnover, in FranceJoin Le Poème Harmonique’s Circle of Patrons!! Friend - donation from €500Benefactor - donation from €1000Ambassador - donation from €5,000Major Patron - donation from €10,000 - 12 -

ponsorshipSSupporting Le Poème Harmonique means contributing to: Revealing and promoting an intangible heri-tage, source of a universal emotion: baroque music, 95% of whose repertoire has yet to be rediscovered. The carreer development of young musicians brought to light through initiatives such as the Concours Corneille, the international baroque vocal competition in Normandy launched in 2016, and regularly included in the ensemble’s casts. Making classical music more accessible for young people and audiences with disabilities. Benefit from exclusive advantages: sneak pre-views on the upcoming season, access to rehear-sals in the most prestigious halls during the highlights of the season, privileged meetingswith Vincent Dumestre and the artistic teams of Le Poème Harmonique...• for income tax purposes, the tax reduction is 66% of the amount of the donation up to 20% of taxable income, in France• in the context of corporation tax, corporate sponsorship entitles you to a tax reduction of 60% of the amount of the donation up to a limit of 5‰ of turnover, in FranceJoin Le Poème Harmonique’s Circle of Patrons!! Friend - donation from €500Benefactor - donation from €1000Ambassador - donation from €5,000Major Patron - donation from €10,000 - 12 -

- 14 - - 15 -Bringing the music of architecture back to life through the architecture of music. What is the form of a musical work? What does it share with the architecture that gave birth to it? Can we understand a musical work without having, at least once, heard it returned to its or-ginal setting? How can we pretend today to be as close as possible to its accuracy? In this respect, the world of the sound of musical masterpieces, is a gigantic jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. We sometimes have the authentic manuscript, but we most often don’t have the stage direc-tions, the composer’s indications, or the tempi inherent to the place where the work was pre-miered. The “Retour aux Sources” (Back to Basics) project returns three Italian masterpieces to their origi-nal settings: Allegri’s Miserere to the Sistine Cha-pel, Monteverdi’s Combattimento to Venice’s Palazzo Mocenigo, and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater to Naples. It reminds us that, no matter how sublime, a place has a musical cell in its DNA that cannot be separated from its existence. Music has, in many cases, played a key role in the development of architectural heritage, and today, it is at the very least necessary to think of music where it was born, just as it would be detrimental to forget the musical element when we want to study, understand or simply appre-ciate the world’s architectural heritage. These three masterpieces of the Italian Baroque are ready to be returned to their original setting in the heart of the cities where they were writ-ten, in an audiovisual project for ARTE.An island where dominant women rule and submissive men preen sets the scene for L’Uomo femina, a surprising Baroque opera that prefigures contemporary debates around sex and gender.Partner of Goldoni, admired by Joseph Haydn and Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, Galuppi was the last representative of a Vene-tian tradition at the origins of opera as public spectacle, and was extremely well-known in Europe at his time. The wonderfully lyrical and comique opera associates a musical lan-guage of early Classicism with the Baroque spirit of teatro bufo.Directed by Agnès JaouiIn coproduction with the Dijon Opera and Château de Versailles SpectaclesWith the generous support of Aline Foriel-DestezetrojectsPRETOUR AUX SOURCESL’HOMME-FEMME

- 14 - - 15 -Bringing the music of architecture back to life through the architecture of music. What is the form of a musical work? What does it share with the architecture that gave birth to it? Can we understand a musical work without having, at least once, heard it returned to its or-ginal setting? How can we pretend today to be as close as possible to its accuracy? In this respect, the world of the sound of musical masterpieces, is a gigantic jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. We sometimes have the authentic manuscript, but we most often don’t have the stage direc-tions, the composer’s indications, or the tempi inherent to the place where the work was pre-miered. The “Retour aux Sources” (Back to Basics) project returns three Italian masterpieces to their origi-nal settings: Allegri’s Miserere to the Sistine Cha-pel, Monteverdi’s Combattimento to Venice’s Palazzo Mocenigo, and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater to Naples. It reminds us that, no matter how sublime, a place has a musical cell in its DNA that cannot be separated from its existence. Music has, in many cases, played a key role in the development of architectural heritage, and today, it is at the very least necessary to think of music where it was born, just as it would be detrimental to forget the musical element when we want to study, understand or simply appre-ciate the world’s architectural heritage. These three masterpieces of the Italian Baroque are ready to be returned to their original setting in the heart of the cities where they were writ-ten, in an audiovisual project for ARTE.An island where dominant women rule and submissive men preen sets the scene for L’Uomo femina, a surprising Baroque opera that prefigures contemporary debates around sex and gender.Partner of Goldoni, admired by Joseph Haydn and Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, Galuppi was the last representative of a Vene-tian tradition at the origins of opera as public spectacle, and was extremely well-known in Europe at his time. The wonderfully lyrical and comique opera associates a musical lan-guage of early Classicism with the Baroque spirit of teatro bufo.Directed by Agnès JaouiIn coproduction with the Dijon Opera and Château de Versailles SpectaclesWith the generous support of Aline Foriel-DestezetrojectsPRETOUR AUX SOURCESL’HOMME-FEMME

- 16 -“A fairy-tale and extravagant world” “A delicious show” Radio Classique“An enchanting and invigorating show” Le Monde“Marvellous” Le Point“The incredible success of the Carnaval Baroque” Le Figaro“Should be reimbursed by the Social Security ” La Croix“A dreamlike show” France MusiqueAn original creation, a unique show: at the crossroads of baroque music and circus arts, this Carnival tells the story of a festive day in Venice. From a picturesque feast to street theatre and a manhunt along the canals, sin-gers and acrobats enchant us with their dances and popular songs.intermezzo based on The Miser by Molière - 1720 Francesco Gaspa-rini - Libretto by Antonio Salvi The reform of Italian opera in the 18th century was largely inspired by French theatre, and Molière, in lingua italiana, was widely heard on opera stages in the 18th century. Even having reduced the number of characters, the librettist Salvi, who had already drawn inspiration from Molière’s theatre on several occasions, loses none of the comic force of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin’s The Miser in this Avaro.Gasparini’s music illustrates this delightful li-bretto in the most expressive and immediately appealing way.This sparkling pocket opera has a universally known theme that conveys lyrical emotion far beyond its usual scope. - 16 - - 17 -THE BAROQUE CARNIVALTHE MISER

- 16 -“A fairy-tale and extravagant world” “A delicious show” Radio Classique“An enchanting and invigorating show” Le Monde“Marvellous” Le Point“The incredible success of the Carnaval Baroque” Le Figaro“Should be reimbursed by the Social Security ” La Croix“A dreamlike show” France MusiqueAn original creation, a unique show: at the crossroads of baroque music and circus arts, this Carnival tells the story of a festive day in Venice. From a picturesque feast to street theatre and a manhunt along the canals, sin-gers and acrobats enchant us with their dances and popular songs.intermezzo based on The Miser by Molière - 1720 Francesco Gaspa-rini - Libretto by Antonio Salvi The reform of Italian opera in the 18th century was largely inspired by French theatre, and Molière, in lingua italiana, was widely heard on opera stages in the 18th century. Even having reduced the number of characters, the librettist Salvi, who had already drawn inspiration from Molière’s theatre on several occasions, loses none of the comic force of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin’s The Miser in this Avaro.Gasparini’s music illustrates this delightful li-bretto in the most expressive and immediately appealing way.This sparkling pocket opera has a universally known theme that conveys lyrical emotion far beyond its usual scope. - 16 - - 17 -THE BAROQUE CARNIVALTHE MISER

Lully & Quinault’s last tragedy, Armide, often considered to be the masterpiece of their colla-boration. The tragic love of the magician Armide for the knight Renaud is celebrated in pages of poignant intensity, notably Armide’s famous monologue ‘Enfin, il est en ma puissance’ (Finally, he is in my power), which has become a model of French recitative. Vincent Dumestre and Le Poème Harmonique are delighted to return to Lully after the success of Le Bourgeois Gentil-homme, Cadmus & Hermione and Phaéton.With Stéphanie d’Oustrac in the title role.‘fullness of sound, richness of colour and subtle gradation of nuances’.Philippe Venturini Les ÉchosDecember 1723. Bach has just taken up his po-sition as newly appointed Cantor of St. Thomas’ church et celebrates his first winter in Leipzig. He composes, for the 25th of December, one of his most famous works: the Magnificat.That Christmas evening will be revived today as it was lived in the presence of the Cantor: Vincent Dumestre conducts the Magnificat, performed here in its original version, intertwi-ned with lauds sung in German from the gallery, telling the Christmas story in miniature. On December 25th, Bach also played the cantata BWV 63 “Christen, ätzet diesen Tag”, and, mir-roring these two great works the Sanctus BWV 238 (premiered on December 25th), and a cho-rale, sung here on the famous melody of “Jesu, meine Freude”. A Christmas in 1723 in company of the most eminent of Baroque composers. - 18 - - 19 -BACH MAGNIFICATARMIDEConcert version

Lully & Quinault’s last tragedy, Armide, often considered to be the masterpiece of their colla-boration. The tragic love of the magician Armide for the knight Renaud is celebrated in pages of poignant intensity, notably Armide’s famous monologue ‘Enfin, il est en ma puissance’ (Finally, he is in my power), which has become a model of French recitative. Vincent Dumestre and Le Poème Harmonique are delighted to return to Lully after the success of Le Bourgeois Gentil-homme, Cadmus & Hermione and Phaéton.With Stéphanie d’Oustrac in the title role.‘fullness of sound, richness of colour and subtle gradation of nuances’.Philippe Venturini Les ÉchosDecember 1723. Bach has just taken up his po-sition as newly appointed Cantor of St. Thomas’ church et celebrates his first winter in Leipzig. He composes, for the 25th of December, one of his most famous works: the Magnificat.That Christmas evening will be revived today as it was lived in the presence of the Cantor: Vincent Dumestre conducts the Magnificat, performed here in its original version, intertwi-ned with lauds sung in German from the gallery, telling the Christmas story in miniature. On December 25th, Bach also played the cantata BWV 63 “Christen, ätzet diesen Tag”, and, mir-roring these two great works the Sanctus BWV 238 (premiered on December 25th), and a cho-rale, sung here on the famous melody of “Jesu, meine Freude”. A Christmas in 1723 in company of the most eminent of Baroque composers. - 18 - - 19 -BACH MAGNIFICATARMIDEConcert version

- 20 - - 21 -Press reviewA fascinating mosaic of colours, phrasing and expressiveness’.Le Monde – Marie-Aude Roux - 21 -‘The impeccable Poème Harmonique offers us one of the best versions of the psalm ever heard’.Diapason – Roger-Claude Travers‘Vincent Dumestre, one of the most in-ventive and versatile craftsmen of the Baroque revival’.Le Figaro – Anthony Palou ‘One of the most spellbinding recordings of the new recording season’.Radio Classique – Laure Mézan‘Lully’s lyrical tragedy shines at its zenith’.Radio Classique – Laure Mézan‘Le Poème Harmonique in a state of grace’.Diapason – Denis Morrier‘As always with Le Poème Harmonique, the sound textures are inexhaustibly varied’.La Croix – Emmanuelle Giuliani‘It is now with this version that the Egisto should be discovered’.Classica – Philippe Venturini‘Vincent Dumestre’s science of sound balance and dramatic flows is absolutely sovereign’.Radio Classique – Emmanuelle Giuliani

- 20 - - 21 -Press reviewA fascinating mosaic of colours, phrasing and expressiveness’.Le Monde – Marie-Aude Roux - 21 -‘The impeccable Poème Harmonique offers us one of the best versions of the psalm ever heard’.Diapason – Roger-Claude Travers‘Vincent Dumestre, one of the most in-ventive and versatile craftsmen of the Baroque revival’.Le Figaro – Anthony Palou ‘One of the most spellbinding recordings of the new recording season’.Radio Classique – Laure Mézan‘Lully’s lyrical tragedy shines at its zenith’.Radio Classique – Laure Mézan‘Le Poème Harmonique in a state of grace’.Diapason – Denis Morrier‘As always with Le Poème Harmonique, the sound textures are inexhaustibly varied’.La Croix – Emmanuelle Giuliani‘It is now with this version that the Egisto should be discovered’.Classica – Philippe Venturini‘Vincent Dumestre’s science of sound balance and dramatic flows is absolutely sovereign’.Radio Classique – Emmanuelle Giuliani

Le Poème Harmonique is supported by the Ministère de la Culture (DRAC de Normandie), the Région Normandie, the Département de la Seine-Maritime, the Ville de Rouen, the Centre National de la Musique and the Fonds Haplotès. Le Poème Harmonique is in residence at the Fondation Singer-Polignac as an associate artist.The ensemble is regularly supported by ODIA Normandie, Spedidam and the Institut Français.It is also a member of Arviva - Arts vivants, Arts durables, which promotes the ecological transition of the performing arts, HF+ Normandie, which fights for real equality between men and women in the arts and culture, as well as FEVIS and Profedim.Photo credits / iconography:Front cover: Hand painted, wood engraving, WikimediaPP. 2/3: © Charles PlumeyP. 4: © Laurent GuizardP. 7: © Lukaz ZyskaP. 8: © Charles PlumeyP. 10: © Charles PlumeyP. 14: Chapelle Sixtine, WikimediaP. 13: © Charles PlumeyP. 15: Agnès Jaoui, © Patrick Swirc / modds Icono Sousse Mosaic, WikimediaP. 16: © Laurent GuizardP. 17: croquis Louise CaronP. 18: © Conttonbro Studio for PexelsP. 19: © Mirco MaglioccaP. 23: © MB, all rights reservedBack cover: Pierrot jouant du luth, 17th Century, WikimediaGraphic design, ink calligraphy: E design - 22 -FondsHaplotès

Le Poème Harmonique is supported by the Ministère de la Culture (DRAC de Normandie), the Région Normandie, the Département de la Seine-Maritime, the Ville de Rouen, the Centre National de la Musique and the Fonds Haplotès. Le Poème Harmonique is in residence at the Fondation Singer-Polignac as an associate artist.The ensemble is regularly supported by ODIA Normandie, Spedidam and the Institut Français.It is also a member of Arviva - Arts vivants, Arts durables, which promotes the ecological transition of the performing arts, HF+ Normandie, which fights for real equality between men and women in the arts and culture, as well as FEVIS and Profedim.Photo credits / iconography:Front cover: Hand painted, wood engraving, WikimediaPP. 2/3: © Charles PlumeyP. 4: © Laurent GuizardP. 7: © Lukaz ZyskaP. 8: © Charles PlumeyP. 10: © Charles PlumeyP. 14: Chapelle Sixtine, WikimediaP. 13: © Charles PlumeyP. 15: Agnès Jaoui, © Patrick Swirc / modds Icono Sousse Mosaic, WikimediaP. 16: © Laurent GuizardP. 17: croquis Louise CaronP. 18: © Conttonbro Studio for PexelsP. 19: © Mirco MaglioccaP. 23: © MB, all rights reservedBack cover: Pierrot jouant du luth, 17th Century, WikimediaGraphic design, ink calligraphy: E design - 22 -FondsHaplotès

www.lepoemeharmonique.fr