Les Arts Florissants Essentials

Founded by conductor William Christie in 1979, Les Arts Florissants is a period chamber ensemble that aims for authentic readings of Baroque classics, and they've performed everywhere from Opéra National de Paris to Carnegie Hall. Though they're based out of France's Théâtre de Caen and serve up wonderful interpretations of French masterpieces (Rameau's Les Indes galantes), their versatility knows no bounds; their brisk Bach (Mass in B Minor) finds exquisite colour in every dissonance, while they locate in Handel (“Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa”) an indelible pathos.