ORPHÉE AUX ENFERS

In 1686, Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed his chamber Opera, La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers. In this work probably incomplete, the lyre of Orpheus is represented by two violas da gamba accompanying Orpheus when he is tempting to persuade Pluto to let Eurydice come back from the underworld. The same year, Marin Marais is publishing in his first book of viola da gamba’s pieces its famous two violas da gamba’s suites: one of its major works. This program, which pays tribute to works for viola da gamba through pieces composed by Marin Marais and Marc-Antoine Charpentier, proposes to discover the most beautiful arias from the Opera La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers where we will present to you only pieces written for a high-tenor, two violas da gamba and basso continuo. By interposing between those tunes, Marin Marais’s magnificent pieces written for two violas da gamba, the program maintains an intense and dramatic development.