Les Talens Lyriques (FR)

About

Also known as: Les Talens Lyriques Orchestra

Founded in Paris in 1991 by harpsichordist and conductor Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques takes its name from the subtitle of Rameau's opera Les fêtes d'Hébé. That origin says a lot: this is an ensemble with one foot firmly in French Baroque repertoire, though their reach stretches from Monteverdi all the way through to Berlioz and Saint Saëns. They are probably best known outside the concert hall for providing the soundtrack to the 1994 film Farinelli. With a discography of around seventy recordings spanning labels like Decca, Virgin Classics and Aparté, Les Talens Lyriques have done serious work reviving rare scores by composers such as Jommelli, Traetta and Henri Desmarets alongside the big names. The ensemble can scale from a handful of players to over sixty depending on the project, and they have collaborated with some of Europe's most notable stage directors. Since 2007 they have also run educational workshops to bring young people into contact with Baroque music.