Charpentier 300th Anniversary Concert Wigmore Hall, 19 March 2004
Florilegium Ashley Solomon Artistic Director Patrizia Kwella gave what was believed to be the first performance in modern times of Boismortier's Cantata Diane et Actéon, a cautionary tale of the fate which awaits a missed opportunity; Actéon, hesitant in responding to an offer of love, the affronted Diane turned him into a stag and he was promptly devoured by her hounds. Patrizia Kwella seemed tense at first, but settled during this cantata, which has not deserved its seeming neglect. One of Charpentier's Leçons de ténèbres was given by Thomas Guthrie in sonorous voice and, together with Tim Massa countertenor & Andrew Tortise, a forthright and winning tenor, the programme ended with the rather heavy humour of Charpentier's comédie-ballet Le Mariage forcé which culminates with a cacophony of dogs, cats, nightingales and jackasses singing in chorus. Don't miss next week's performance of Charpentier's great oratorio David et Jonathas
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