Franck-Emmanuel Comte

Franck-Emmanuel Comte is a French conductor and harpsichordist who has directed Le Concert de l'Hostel Dieu, an early music instrumental ensemble based in Lyon, for three decades. He is particularly recognized for reviving little-known baroque manuscripts held in regional libraries, and for pairing historically informed performance with contemporary and cross-disciplinary collaborations. With the ensemble, he has made around 20 recordings, beginning with Handel's Alceste in 1997 and accumulating acclaimed releases such as La Francesina, Handel's Nightingale (2020), and The Ghosts of Hamlet (2025). Comte's interest in local manuscripts led to a 2005 recording of cantatas by Alessandro Stradella. The 2026 album Furioso, with countertenor Xavier Sabata, traces the hero Orlando's emotional journey across diverse baroque opera excerpts.