Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques have announced a selection of rarely performed works as part of their 2024-25 season. Included is Gassmann’s L’Opera Seria in a new production by Laurent Pelly at La Scala and the premiere of Porpora’s Ifigenia in Aulide at Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival. In addition to these performances, Les Talens Lyriques and Rousset will embark on a North American tour of The Sound of Music in Versailles with a programme celebrating the operatic wonders of Lully, Montéclair and the chamber music of Couperin, joined by mezzo-soprano Ambroisine Bré. The New Year will see a performance of Händel’s Orlando in a new production by Jeanne Desoubeaux with a cast including Katarina Bradić, Siobhan Stagg, Elizabeth DeShong, Giulia Semenzato and Riccardo Novaro. Following this, Elizabeth DeShong will join them in Giulio Cesare in Egito in a revival of Damiano Michieletto’s production in Toulouse.

Christophe Rousset was awarded the Händel Prize in 2024 and says ‘As a child, I used the excuse of going to bed early so that I could read the magical legends from the ancient world into the small hours. I never imagined that one day I would be able to bring these stories of gods and goddesses, half-god heroes, sacrifices, oracles and magical transformations to life on the stage.’

More information on the upcoming season can be found here.