Christophe Rousset

Musician

Christophe Rousset is a contemporary Baroque musician. He studied at the Schola Cantorum in Paris with Huguette Dreyfus, and the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, with Bob van Asperen. In 1983 Rousset won the prestigious Bruges Harpsichord Competition. He became a member of Les Arts Florissants, then Il Seminario Musicale, before embarking on a career as a music director. His work as a harpsichordist, interest in vocal music and in the stage led him to take up conducting and to form his own ensemble, Les Talens Lyriques, in 1991.

Rousset has had many engagements at international Baroque festivals, and made numerous recordings for Harmonia Mundi, L'Oiseau-Lyre, Fnac Music, Emi-Virgin, Decca, Naïve and Ambroisie. He also made a soundtrack for the film Farinelli. He has established his reputation as a conscientious young director, and as an indefatigable discoverer of original scores, for example those by Traetta, Jommelli, Desmarest, Danielis, Melani, Bononcini, Leo, and Gossec.

Rousset is well respected as a soloist and chamber musician and has appeared at many major festivals with distinguished ensembles. His many recordings include the complete harpsichord works of François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, d'Anglebert and Forqueray, and his interpretations of works by J. S. Bach (Partitas, Goldberg Variations, Harpsichord Concertos, English Suites) are regarded as seminal references.

With his ensemble Les Talens Lyriques, Rousset has performed Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Mozart's Mitridate, Overtures by Rameau, and Persée by Lully. Christophe Rousset is an Officier des Arts et Lettres, and Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite.

Christophe Rousset is a contemporary Baroque musician. He studied at the Schola Cantorum in Paris with Huguette Dreyfus, and the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, with Bob van Asperen. In 1983 Rousset won the prestigious Bruges Harpsichord Competition. He became a member of Les Arts Florissants, then Il Seminario Musicale, before embarking on a career as a music director. His work as a harpsichordist, interest in vocal music and in the stage led him to take up conducting and to form his own ensemble, Les Talens Lyriques, in 1991.

Rousset has had many engagements at international Baroque festivals, and made numerous recordings for Harmonia Mundi, L'Oiseau-Lyre, Fnac Music, Emi-Virgin, Decca, Naïve and Ambroisie. He also made a soundtrack for the film Farinelli. He has established his reputation as a conscientious young director, and as an indefatigable discoverer of original scores, for example those by Traetta, Jommelli, Desmarest, Danielis, Melani, Bononcini, Leo, and Gossec.

Rousset is well respected as a soloist and chamber musician and has appeared at many major festivals with distinguished ensembles. His many recordings include the complete harpsichord works of François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, d'Anglebert and Forqueray, and his interpretations of works by J. S. Bach (Partitas, Goldberg Variations, Harpsichord Concertos, English Suites) are regarded as seminal references.

With his ensemble Les Talens Lyriques, Rousset has performed Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Mozart's Mitridate, Overtures by Rameau, and Persée by Lully. Christophe Rousset is an Officier des Arts et Lettres, and Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite.

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