Lalande et Charpentier : Te Deum

Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) and Michel-Richard de Lalande (1657-1726) Te Deum

Thursday 12 November, 8pm

Chapelle Royale

Duration: 1h30 including interval

If there is one work that embodies the majesty of Louis XIV's reign, it is the Te Deum. An anthem of praise and victory, it resonated in the Chapelle Royale to celebrate military triumphs as well as events of the royal family. This concert brings together the two pinnacles of the genre: Marc-Antoine Charpentier's universally famous one and Michel-Richard de Lalande's, with its striking architectural nobility.

Charpentier's Te Deum, introduced by its famous baroque trumpets, unfolds with a pomp whose energy is matched only by its fervour. In contrast, Lalande, the Sun King's favourite musician, delivers a score of great polyphonic richness, where the science of counterpoint blends with an extraordinary dramatic power. Together, these two masterpieces illustrate the golden age of French sacred music, between Versailles splendour and spiritual introspection.

Under the direction of Gaétan Jarry, the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal joins forces with the Pages and Chantres of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles as well as the Chœur de l’Opéra Royal. This magnificent ensemble, supported by the voices of the new promotion of the Académie de l’Opéra Royal, restores these Grand Siècle works to their original brilliance beneath the vaults of the Chapelle Royale.