Coups de Coeur à Chantilly blog
A look back at past editions of Coups de Coeur
A Château whose stones have witnessed 8 centuries of History, from Montmorency to the Bourbons, via the Condés and Henry D’Orléans, a place of culture par excellence with the visit of La Fontaine, Bossuet, Molière… Yes, this is where the two superb editions of the Printemps des Coups de Cœur à Chantilly took place, under the Artistic Direction of Iddo Bar Shaï and the Production Direction of Inès Hubert Chiché. Even if Covid invited itself, threatening the carte blanche given to Maria Joao Pires, it was a flamboyant Frank Braley who, with six other renowned musicians, was able to take over the announced repertoire at a moment’s notice, filling the dome of the Grandes Ecuries with superb musical hours shared with a conquered audience.
Augustin Dumay, Miguel Da Silva, Steven Isserlis, Yann Dubost, Samuel Bach, Teo Gheorghiu, Iddo Bar-Shaï will have enchanted us with their blend of strings and ivories in romantic flights of fancy from a repertoire paying tribute to Beethoven, Schumann, Debussy, Schubert… Schubert’s “La Truite” (The Trout) drew rapturous applause, seeming to emerge straight from the splendid horse fountain that majestically decorates the dome.
Two young talents, Samuel Bach and Teo Georghiu on piano and Augustin Dumay on violin, made the paintings in the Galerie de Peinture ring out, and there was no doubt that Poussin, Champaigne and Raphael were thrilled by Cesar Franck’s “Danses roumaines” and his poignant “Sonate pour violon et piano”. Meanwhile, Miguel Da Silva was on hand to teach a Master Class at the Le Menestrel Conservatoire, providing invaluable advice to the many students who turned out.
There’s no doubt that this date will be a milestone in their musical development!
Leonardo García Alarcón and the Cappella Mediterranea
Half a moon later we found ourselves immersed in Baroque music, and who better to do it than Leonardo García Alarcón, his ensemble Cappella Mediterranea and the Namur Chamber Choir.
They gave a Diluvio Universale that would cover the dome’s vault with a rainbow.
This work, written by Michelangelo Falvetti and inspired by the heavens, brought the audience to its knees!
Mariana Flores, accompanied by Leonardo García Alarcón, Quito Gato and Margaux Blanchard, set the Galerie de Peinture alight on Sunday morning, with a repertoire that showcased the velocity of her voice, while bringing a groove and modernity to her interpretation of a repertoire that reveals luminous Baroque gems.
The ‘Vespro della Beata Vergine’ concluded this exceptional weekend, both humanly and musically, with intensity, fervour and communion. The staging, which played with the shapes of this very special and magical rotunda, gave a rare power to this sacred music, nailing the grace of a blissful and deeply moved audience.
It was as if the souls of the composers had been summoned one by one, and the 70 musicians were paying tribute to them note after note in a venue that was already steeped in history.
As usual, Le Ménestrel, the Chantilly Conservatoire, hosted a Master Class with Laura Corolla (violin) and Adrià Gràcia Gàlvez (harpsichord/organ), offering students a rich and intensely Baroque learning experience.
Now we’re getting ready for the autumn edition in 2023… The programme is still a closely-guarded secret, but we look forward to seeing you at the beginning of September for a colourful new season of music.
Save the weekends of 9 and 10 and 22 to 24 September 2023 in your diaries to join us for this new edition of Coups de Cœur at the Château de Chantilly. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @lescoupsdecoeurachantilly !
