Il Festino

This concert brings honor to both of the major composers of the French air de cour in the second half of the 17th century: Michel Lambert and Sébastien Le Camus. We chose to alternate one voice arias with lesser known polyphonic airs, which reflect the contrapuntal mastery of both musicians.

Singer, instrumentalist and dancer, Michel Lambert (1610 - 1696) is one of the most important composers of the court airs of the second half of the 17th century in France. Under the reign of Louis XIV, when his son Lully was already established as Superintendent of the King's Music, Michel Lambert gets the post of the King's Chamber, a post he hold until his death.

Sébastien Le Camus (1610 - 1677) also occupies a prominent place among the musicians who lived under Louis XIII and Louis XIV. In 1648 he was Intendant of Music for Gaston of Orleans then at the time of the marriage of Louis XIV with Maria Theresa in 1660 he shares with Jean-Baptiste Boesset the post of Superintendent of Music. Finally, he obtained the post of Ordinary of the King's Chamber at the death of Louis Couperin. His son, Charles Camus will also become a composer and publish in 1678 a posthumous collection of his father.

This programme is available with variable configurations:

Minimum effective: 5 musicians
Dagmar Saskova soprano
Francisco Javier Mañalich tenor & viola da gamba
Ronald Martin Alonso viola
Felipe Guerra harpsichord
Manuel de Grange lute, theorbo & artistic direction

6 musicians: minimum size + 1 viola da gamba
7 musicians: 4 singers and 3 instrumentallists

11 musicians
Dagmar Saskova, Barbara Kusa, François-Nicolas Geslot, Francisco-Javier Mañalich, Arnaud Richard voice
Vojtech Semerad et Josef Zak violins
Ronald Martin Alonso, Francisco-Javier Mañalich et Antoine Touche violas da gamba
Felipe Guerra harpsichord
​Manuel de Grange lute, theorbo & direction

Duration : 1h15