Baroque music with French flair to grace stage in October

Two Francophone Baroque music ensembles will go onstage here this month.

One of the groups, Les Arts Florissants, is a French ensemble founded in 1979 by William Christie. It is credited with efforts to revive 17th to mid-18th century European music.
 

Christie, a conductor and harpsichordist, is often referred to as “a pioneer in the rediscovery of Baroque music” in France, introducing lesser-known French Baroque music pieces.

On Oct. 17, the ensemble will present Handel’s English-language oratorio “Messiah” at the Art Center Incheon. The choral work, written in 1741, is composed in the structure of an opera but without a dramatic dialogue.
 

The newly built center boasts acoustics suitable for chamber music. It kicked off its 2019 season with a stage production of Haydn’s 1798 oratorio “The Creation” by La Fura dels Baus, an experimental theater group from Barcelona, Spain, in March.

The “Messiah” performance begins at 8 p.m. on Oct. 17. Tickets are priced from 30,000 won to 100,000 won.

Another highly anticipated presentation is slated for Oct. 29 at the LG Arts Center, with French-Canadian chamber orchestra Les Violons du Roy taking the stage.

The ensemble, founded by Bernard Labadie in 1984, is based in Quebec.

The program includes Haydn’s Symphony No.83 in G minor “La Poule,” Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595 with pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin and Mozart’s Symphony No.40 in G minor, K. 550. The ensemble’s music director Jonathan Cohen will take the baton.

The chamber orchestra -- named after the celebrated court orchestra of French kings dubbed Les Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi -- was founded in 1984 by Bernard Labadie.

The ensemble is known for its exploration of Baroque and classical music using 17th- and 18th-century performance practices.

It is the orchestra’s first time visiting Korea for a recital.

The Oct. 29 performance will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are priced between 40,000 won and 100,000 won.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)