Ensemble Matheus is a French

baroque orchestra A Baroque orchestra is an ensemble for mixed instruments that existed during the Baroque era of Western Classical music, commonly identified as 1600–1750. Baroque orchestras are typically much smaller, in terms of the number of performers, than ...

. Based in

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period o ...

, the ensemble gives concerts in a number of French cities, including Brest at ''Le Quartz'', where it has enjoyed a residency since 1996,

Vannes Vannes (; br, Gwened) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago. History Celtic Era The name ''Vannes'' comes from the Veneti, a seafaring Celtic people who liv ...

(Théâtre Anne de Bretagne), and

Plougonvelin Plougonvelin (; br, Plougonvelen) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. Geography Climate Plougonvelin has a oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfb''). The average annual temperature in Plo ...

(Espace Keraudy). The ensemble receives funding from the ''Conseil Régional de Bretagne'' (Regional Council of Brittany), ''Conseil Général du Finistère'', the city of Brest, the ''Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication - Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles (DRAC) Bretagne'' (Ministry of Culture and Communication - Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs Brittany), the ''Société Inter Parfums'', and the ''Mécénat Musical Société Générale''. The Ensemble Matheus was founded in 1991 with the members of the Quatuor Matheus (Matheus Quartet),

Jean-Christophe Spinosi Jean-Christophe Spinosi (born 2 September 1964) is a French conductor and violinist, the founder of French orchestra Ensemble Matheus. Life and career In 1991 he created the Ensemble Matheus in Brest, an orchestra which accompanies him through ...

, Laurence Paugam, Françoise Paugam, and Thierry Runarvot, as the core of the ensemble, and with Spinosi as artistic leader. Whilst the ensemble has a primary focus on baroque music, it also performs works from the 19th and 20th centuries, expanding the ensemble as needed. In addition to concert work, the ensemble has been the opera orchestra for productions at such venues and companies as the

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while ...

Théâtre du Châtelet The Théâtre du Châtelet () is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. One of two theatres (the other being the Théâtre de la Ville) built on the site of a ''châtelet'', a sm ...

, the

Opéra de Paris The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to b ...

and the

Opéra de Nice The Opéra de Nice is the principal opera venue in Nice, France, which houses the Ballet Nice Méditerrannée and the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra. It offers three types of performances: operas, ballets and classical music concerts. History The � ...

. The ensemble began a regular residency at the Théâtre du Châtelet in 2007. Outside France, the ensemble has performed in opera productions in such cities as

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

and

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

. In the US, the Ensemble Matheus first performed at Carnegie Hall in February 2008. In the UK, the ensemble first appeared at

The Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert H ...

in September 2010. The ensemble regularly collaborates with individual artists such as

Philippe Jaroussky Philippe Jaroussky (born 13 February 1978) is a French countertenor. He began his musical career with the violin, winning an award at the Versailles conservatory, and then took up the piano before turning to singing. Unusually for a countertenor ...

and

Marie-Nicole Lemieux Marie-Nicole Lemieux, C.M., C.Q. (born June 26, 1975) is a Canadian coloratura contralto. In 2000, she became the first Canadian to win first prize at the Queen Elizabeth International Music Competition in Belgium. Lemieux has continued to pe ...

. The Ensemble Matheus has recorded commercially for the Naïve and Virgin Classics labels. The Ensemble Matheus has served as the featured instrumental ensemble in CD recordings of operas such as Vivaldi's '' La verità in cimento'', ''

Orlando furioso ''Orlando furioso'' (; ''The Frenzy of Orlando'', more loosely ''Raging Roland'') is an Italian epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto which has exerted a wide influence on later culture. The earliest version appeared in 1516, although the poem was ...

'', ''

Griselda Griselda is a feminine given name from Germanic sources that is now used in English, Italian, and Spanish as well. According to the 1990 United States Census, the name was 1066th in popularity among females in the United States. It has been ...

'', and '' La fida ninfa'', and on DVD in a production of

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...

's ''

La pietra del paragone ' (''The Touchstone'') is an opera, or ''melodramma giocoso'', in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, to an original Italian libretto by Luigi Romanelli. Performance history ''La pietra del paragone'' was first performed at La Scala, Milan, on 26 Sep ...

''.

References

External links

Official Ensemble Matheus homepage

Intermusica agency page on Ensemble Matheus / Jean-Christophe Spinosi

Raymond Tuttle, Classical.net review of DVD of Rossini, ''La Pietra del Paragone'', 2008

* ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tmj82 BBC Four Programmes page on Prom 70, 2010 {{Authority control Early music orchestras French orchestras Musical groups established in 1991 1991 establishments in France Breton musical groups