With 22 events over 9 days, the Festival brings together leading artists such as Le Poème Harmonique and Vincent Dumestre, La Nuova Musica with Iestyn Davies, Capriccio Stravagante Trio with Skip Sempé, Doulce Mémoire and Dennis Rasin Dadre and this year's Guest Artistic Director - Sébastien Daucé’s own group, Ensemble Correspondances.
As is tradition, the Festival remains an important platform for emerging artists, both from France and the UK, and the Festival is delighted to have some of the most exceptional talent surfacing on the scene today.
Sébastien Daucé, Guest Artistic Director said: This is the music that accompanied the day-to-day life of the Palace of Versailles and saw the emergence of King Louis XIV as the Sun King. My hope for this year's Festival is that the music ordered by royalty, exclusively for the 17th and 18th century courts, is enjoyed by all today. Enjoy a new perspective on this music – through the eyes and ears of the great musicians who will pay tribute to the masters and their beloved composers of the French Baroque, and take a look at the ideas that have influenced works, then and now, from other eras and cultures”.
Festival guide
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Fri 11 May
>> At the World's Courts, Le Poème Harmonique
“Two hours of spice and delight” (Le Monde)
Journey through 17th century French baroque music inspired and influenced by the East.
7.30pm | St John's Smith Square
Sat 12 May
>> Exploring Harmonic Flutes
A morning workshop, open to all, exploring harmonic flutes with demonstrations, and take part in building a raga with Patrick Rudant and Franck-Emmanuel Comte ahead of their evening concert, Paris-Madras.
10.30am | St John's Smith Square | Family Friendly
>> Festival Talk with Graham Sadler
Setting the scene for the Festival, Graham introduces the music of the Grand Siècle and what cultural life was like in Baroque France
5.30pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Versailles
The 'TV Stars' of the Festival! This programme was created after Fuoco E Cenere’s participation in the hugely popular Canal + programme
7.15pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Paris-Madras
Two cultures, two religions, a common poetry. Musicians come together from both the Western and Indian Classical traditions in this late-night feature combining Couperin's Tenebrae settings with indian classical music.
9.45pm | St John's Smith Square
Sun 13 May
>> Pour le Souper du Roi
The Bach Players invite audiences to the 'chambre du Roi' and enjoy music fit for a King
3.00pm | St Peter's Eaton Square
>> Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice
La Nuova Musica revisit the edge of Baroque, with guest singers Iestyn Davis, Sophie Bevan and Rebecca Bottone
7.00pm | St John's Smith Square
Tue 15 May
>> OAE Experience and RAM Baroque Ensemble
Contrasting two generations of French composers with music from F.Couperin and Rameau
1.05pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Te Deum
The Festival returns to Westminster Abbey in this cross-channel celebration of music by Purcell and Charpentier
7.00pm | Westminster Abbey
Wed 16 May
>> Antidotum Arachne
Palisander venture through the musical cures of venomous spider bites
1.05pm | St Alfege, Greenwich | Free (ticketed)
>> Un Hommage à Lully with Mezzo Soprano Lucile Richardot
7.15pm | St George's, Hanover Square
>> Un Hommage à Louis Couperin
Exploring the music of Louis Couperin, which still charms audiences today. Featuring young artists, Duo Coloquintes
9.45pm | St George's. Hanover Square
Thu 17 May
>> Fantasias
The Festival warmly welcomes Tabea Debus and Elizabeth Kenny for this beautiful programme of music for Recorder and Lute
1.05pm | St George's Bloomsbury
>> Histoires sacrées
Charpentier's wonderfully inventive 'sacred operas' are linked together by musical beauties, harrowing arias and magnificent chorals performed by Ensemble Correspondances. Directed by Sébastien Daucé and Vincent Huguet
7.30pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Les Hommages
Arnaud de Pasquale, harpsichordist, tells us how Rameau, Couperin and Forqueray celebrated their musical peers through the music they wrote.
10.00pm | St John's Smith Square
Fri 18 May
>> Vous avez dit brunettes?
Les Kapsbergirls bring a programme of ‘Airs de cour’ light in character but strongly authentic
1.05pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Festival Talk with Thomas Leconte
The Festival is joined by the researcher from the Versailles Baroque Music Centre.
5.00pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Le Printemps
Doulce Mémoire perform Claude Le Jeune’s ground-breaking work, Le Printemps, which bridges the gap between renaissance and baroque styles
7.15pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Capriccio Stravagante Trio
Featuring Skip Sempé on Harpsichord, Sophie Gent on Violin and Josh Cheatham on Viola Da Gamba
9.45pm | St John's Smith Square
Sat 19 May
>> Skip Sempé
Skip Sempé presents a wide ranging programme for the Harspichord in this afternoon concert at St Peter’s Eaton Square
3.00pm | St Peter's Eaton Square
>> Festival talk with Sébastien Daucé
This talk will set the tone for the headline concert in this year’s festival, Le Concert Royal de la Nuit
6.00pm | St John's Smith Square
>> Le Concert Royal de la Nuit
Sébastien Daucé’s reconstruction of the music based on accounts of the 1653 spectacle that cemented Louis XIV’s position as the Sun King
7.30pm | St John's Smith Square