Under the direction of Gaétan Jarry and Robert Quinney, these concerts weave together English and French Baroque traditions, uniting Purcell’s poignant eloquence with the radiant ceremonial style of Charpentier and Lalande.
The programme opens on 7 November at 21.30 with Les Demoiselles Couperin, performed by candlelight, and paying tribute to François Couperin and the women who shaped Baroque artistry at Versailles.
On 8 November at 15.00, When the Royal Trumpets Sound offers an engaging family concert exploring centuries of royal fanfares, and at 19.00, Royal Farewells and Triumphs, traces a journey from mourning to exultation through music of devotion and majesty.
On 9 November at 10.30, The Sense of Baroque, created with theatre director Jenny Sealey, reimagines Versailles through a multisensory experience for deafblind audiences.
With this series, Ensemble Marguerite Louise invites London audiences to rediscover the splendour, tenderness, and imagination of the French Baroque.
About the Ensemble Marguerite Louise
Founded and directed by Gaétan Jarry, Ensemble Marguerite Louise is one of today’s most distinguished French Baroque ensembles. Comprising a choir and period-instrument orchestra, it takes its name from Marguerite-Louise Couperin, a remarkable 18th-century musician who sang at the royal chapel of Versailles, symbolic of both artistic excellence and rarity in her time.
Renowned for its vivid interpretations of sacred and operatic repertoire by Charpentier, Lully, Rameau, Lalande, and Couperin, the ensemble combines historical insight with emotional intensity. A regular guest at the Opéra Royal and Château de Versailles, Marguerite Louise has received widespread acclaim for its recordings and performances that restore the splendour, grace, and theatrical energy of the French Baroque.
