Jean Christophe Cholet Anima

Written in 1735 for his protégée Anna Girò, Griselda takes a story from Boccaccio and turns it into a hymn of praise to nobility and constancy. Yet though the story is tired and true, Vivaldi's music is real and vibrant and as attractive as anything in his instrumental works. In this recording by Jean-Christophe Spinosi leading the Matheus Ensemble with Marie-Nicole Lemeux in the title role, Naïve has released another strong argument for the high quality of Vivaldi's operas. Spinosi has a light hand but a dramatic touch and he keeps the music moving even while granting the soloists ample scope to develop their characters.

La Fida Ninfa premiered during the Verona carnival of 1732 at the Teatro Filarmonico. The work was composed to help celebrate the opening of the theatre, which had been postponed for two years, since at that time, the city had been surrounded by foreign military troops. The production was spectacular, and included elaborate ballets by Andrea Cattani, a famous ballet master from Poland, as well as sumptuous sets by Francesco Bibiena. “Vivaldi's score is a ravishing one, offering a rewarding sequence of beguiling arias, duets, a trio and a quartet. Sandrine Piau (Licori) and Verónica Cangemi (Morasto) take on the considerable vocal challenges of demanding roles with their usual tonal warmth and bravura, while Marie-Nicole Lemieux (Elpina) provides the necessary emotional contrasts.

…“With the passage of time and the accumulation of experience, the psychological genius of Vivaldi grips us even more strongly than in the past. Today his music appears to us even obviously as a veritable scanner of the human soul, revealing to us with still greater intensity the incredibly timeless character of the protagonists and their problems. More than ever, Alcina, Angelica, and Orlando affirm in our eyes and hearts their stature as our contemporaries. Their strength and weaknesses, their sufferings and joys, seem so palpable that our empathy for them has never been so total. Never hast his masterpiece moves us so deeply.” Jean-Christophe Spinosi and Frederic Delamea

Philippe Jaroussky's countertenor is not a large instrument, but what an instrument! He sings with flawless intonation; a tone that is sweet, pure, even, and focused over the full extent of his wide range; and a breathtaking command of coloratura technique. The impression that his voice is perhaps more elfin than heroic seems of minor consequence in light of its beauty, and the expressive intelligence and musicality he brings to these characters from Vivaldi operas. In spite of the bravado of the album's title, Vivaldi Heroes, many of the arias are exquisitely tender, showcasing Jaroussky's strengths in bringing out the characters' humanity and vulnerability. Any number of arias could be singled out, but "Vedro con mio diletto," from Guistino, is a standout. Matheus Ensemble, led by violinist Jean-Christophe Spinosi, is a full partner in its sensitivity and musicality and offers nuanced and colorful support.

Considering that Rossini's opera buffa "La pietra del paragone" (The Touchstone) is hardly ever staged and that its title is not even known through its overture, like "La scala di seta" or "La gazza ladra," music lovers can be forgiven for being in the dark about this sparklingly luminous work. One of Rossini's first operas, it was written for Milan's La Scala and premiered there in 1812. It was a resounding success - in spite of its standard libretto filled with disguises, mistaken identities and trials of love and loyalty. But it boasts a splendidly varied orchestral writing, which includes dramatic hunt and storm scenes, and betrays a love of language and wordplay which presages Rossini's later works. For this alone, it deserves an above-average treatment.

Né en 1958 d’un couple « mixte », mère catholique charentaise et père juif d’origine algéro-marocaine, Jean-Christophe Attias s’est longtemps demandé ce qu’il pouvait bien être lui-même. À l’âge de vingt ans, il tranche de manière radicale le débat intérieur qui l’agite depuis l’enfance et se convertit au judaïsme orthodoxe. Désormais, pense-t-il, les choses sont claires : il est – et il est seulement – ce qu’il a décidé d’être. …

As a leading concert organist, Prof. Jean-Christophe Geiser has enjoyed a rapid career since 1991 when at the age of 26 he was named competition winner for the prestigious position of titular organist of the Cathedral of Lausanne, Switzerland's most important gothic building. In 1993, he was appointed professor of organ at the Lausanne University of Music, where he is currently dean of the organ department. He is also artistic director of the Cathedral’s Concert Society. He studied at the Berne University of Music with Otto Seger, earning a diploma in piano, and with Heinrich Gurtner, learning a soloist’s diploma with honors. He was twice awarded the Prix de la Fondation Göhner, enabling him to study organ further with François-Henri Houbart as well as to attend a number of diverse courses in performance and interpretation.

Antonio Vivaldi's probably early Nisi Dominus, RV 608, and Stabat Mater, RV 621, both for solo voice and ensemble, have received several top-notch recordings, so the listener can pick on the basis of voice type and stylistic preference. Countertenor David Daniels has essayed the pair with Fabio Biondi and his Europa Galante ensemble, and you can hear the preternaturally rich contralto Sara Mingardo in a reading with the fiery Italian Baroque specialist Rinaldo Alessandrini. Here you get a countertenor, Philippe Jaroussky, in the Nisi Dominus and a female contralto, Canadian Marie-Nicole Lemieux, in the Stabat Mater. The pairing robs the whole of unity at one level, but makes musical sense; the Nisi Dominus is a more athletic work that benefits from the power of the male voice, while the Stabat Mater, especially in Vivaldi's truncated and highly dramatic setting, may require the audience to identify with a female singer.

A l'origine de ce livre, un fait historique : Louis XIV, le Roi-Soleil, est entré en relation avec le plus ténébreux, le plus mythique des grands souverains de l'Orient, le Négus. L'Abyssin est le roman de cette fabuleuse ambassade. Jean-Baptiste Poncet, jeune médecin des pachas du Caire, sera, par une extraordinaire réunion de circonstances, le héros de cette épopée baroque et poétique à travers les déserts d'Egypte et du Sinaï, les montagnes d'Abyssinie, de la cour du Roi des Rois à celle de Versailles et retour.

L'ornithologue Böhm, qui étudie la migration des cigognes, a constaté que de nombreux couples ne reviennent jamais d'Afrique. Qui les fait disparaître ? Chargé de l'enquête, Louis Antioche rend visite à Böhm mais celui-ci est mort d'un infarctus. …