Charpentier / Gens / Ensemble Les Surprises Passion CD

This programme marks the eagerly awaited return of V?ronique Gens to Baroque music and Lully, in which she made a name for herself at the start of her career. It presents airs from Atys, Pers?e, Alceste, Proserpine, Le Triomphe de l'Amour and other works by Louis XIV's famous composer, but also several by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (M?d?e), Henry Desmarets and Pascal Collasse. Whether well known, rare or in some cases even unpublished, all of them present roles for powerful women whose love is unrequited: dark passions, bitter laments, jealousy, vengeance, the type of dramatic characters that V?ronique Gens embodies with all the charisma that has made her reputation. This recording is also the result of an encounter with the youthful ensemble Les Surprises, founded and directed by Louis-No?l Bestion de Camboulas. Together they conceived this programme, which mingles airs, dances and choruses, in collaboration with the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles.

1. * Amadis (Excerpts) 2. ? 1. Act III: Toi Qui Dans Ce Tombeau 3. ? 2. Act I: Pr?lude 4. 3. Achille Et Polyx?ne: Calme Tes D?plaisirs 5. 4. Th?tis Et P?l?e: Temp?te 6. 5. Circ?: D?sirs, Transports 7. 6. Proserpine: Deuxi?me Air 8. 7. Le Temple de la Paix Suite: VII. Entr?e Des Bretons Et Brettones, Passepieds 9. Proserpine (Excerpts) 10. ? 8. Act III: ? Malheureuse M?re 11. ? 9. Act III: Que Tout Se Ressente de la Fureur 12. 10. Atys, LWV 53, Act III: Ritournelle: Espoir Si Cher Et Si Doux 13. 11. La Naissance de V?nus, Part II: Dieu Des Enfers ?coutez Mes Peines 14. 12. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Canaries 15. 13. Armide, Act II: Enfin Il Est en Ma Puissance 16. 14. Pers?e: Ouverture 17. 15. Le Triomphe de L'amour: Air de la Nuit: Voici Le Favorable Temps 18. 16. La Diane de Fontainebleau: Choeur Du Sommeil 19. Alceste (Excerpts) 20. ? 17. Act III: Pompe Fun?bre 21. ? 18. Act III: La Mort, la Mort Barbare 22. M?d?e (Excerpts) 23. ? 19. Act III: Quel Prix de Mon Amour 24. ? 20. Act III: Noires Filles Du Stix 25. 21. Le Triomphe de L'amour: Air Pour L'entr?e de Bor?e Et Des Quatre Vents