‘Les Arts és Barroc’ begins its program with William Christie and Purcell’s ‘The Fairy Queen’

Les Arts ès Barroc 

• The highly sought-after conductor presents this previously unreleased work at Les Arts with his prestigious ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, and soloists from Le Jardin des Voix.
• The cycle includes a recital in San Nicolás by Carlos Mena, concerts by La Ritirata and La Dispersione, and Forma Antiqva with the opera 'The Elements'

Valencia (9.1.23). The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía inaugurates its cycle dedicated to Baroque and Early Music with 'The Fairy Queen', by Henry Purcell, with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, this Saturday, January 13, at 7.00 p.m.

'Les Arts és Barroc' expands its offerings this season with an extensive program that includes, in addition to the semi-staged version of Purcell's work, two performances by prestigious specialized groups such as La Ritirata and La Dispersione, a recital in the Church of San Nicolás, an architectural space of reference for this style in the city of Valencia, and the concert version of 'The Elements', by Literes, performed by Forma Antiqva.

Following their previous successes with Mozart and Handel, the French conductor of American origin and his ensemble, a leading group in the recovery and interpretation of Baroque and Classical music with antique instruments, delve into the English repertoire with this title, unprecedented in the history of Les Arts.

The Main Hall will host a single performance of this Purcell masterpiece, presented in a new semi-staged version by Mourad Merzouki, who is also responsible for the choreography, with soloists from Le Jardin des Voix, the demanding singing academy of Les Arts Florissants.

The production has received the highest critical acclaim, including praise from the specialized publication Musical America, which describes the show as "Two hours of unique and unforgettable musical theatre," and the New York Times, which praises how the production "connects the dots between Purcell and urban dance."

Loosely inspired by William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', 'The Fairy Queen' invites the viewer to immerse themselves in a captivating and playful universe, which maintains its ability to fascinate 300 years after its creation and includes some of Purcell's most beautiful arias, such as the moving 'O let me weep' and the lively 'Thrice happy lovers'.

The cast of the work includes soloists from Le Jardin des Voix, the singing academy for young artists at Les Arts Florissants, directed by William Christie and Paul Agnew: Paulina Francisco, Georgia Burashko, Rebecca Leggett, Juliette Mey, Ilja Aksionov, Rodrigo Carreto, Hugo Herman-Wilson, and Benjamin Schilperoort. These eight soloists will take turns portraying all the characters in the work, alongside contemporary dancers from Compagnie Käfig and musicians from the Les Arts Florissants orchestra.

Les Arts reminds you that the last tickets for 'The Fairy Queen' can still be purchased through the theater's usual sales channels.

'Barroque Arts and Antique Music'

In April, the third edition of 'Les Arts és Barroc i Música Antiga' begins, a co-production with the National Center for Musical Diffusion (CNDM) for the recovery, enhancement and dissemination of historical music through the main references of the national scene.

La Ritirata, under the direction of its founder Josetxu Obregón, will inaugurate the concert cycle on April 10 at the Teatre Martín i Soler with the famous oratorio by Alessandro Scarlatti 'Il giardino di rose', with the voices of Núria Rial, Jone Martínez, Luciana Mancini, Víctor Sordo and José Coca Loza.

Two days later, on April 12, Carlos Mena headlined a recital in the incomparable setting of the Church of San Nicolás, the so-called Valencian Sistine Chapel.

Accompanied by vihuelist Miguel Minguillón, he presents the program 'Per voi ardo', which includes works by Enríquez de Valderrábano, Juan del Encina, Alonso Mudarra, Miguel de Fuenllana, Luis de Narváez and Diego Pisador.

The program returns to the Teatre Martín i Soler on the 17th of that same month with the Forma Antiqva group and the concert opera 'Los Elementos' by Antonio Literes. The harpsichordist Aarón Zapico, one of the founders of the group, directs this work, with a marked Italian style, which premiered in 1705 in Madrid.

On April 24, the Valencian group La Dispersione and the soprano Erika Escribá will close the cycle with an evening dedicated to José de Nebra and Antonio Literes, in which works by the Valencians Cristóbal Galán and José Pradas can also be heard.