"Quelle douce harmonie a frappé mon oreille ?"
"Ne cherchons plus d'où vient cette tendresse"
Charpentier: Orphée aux enfers
This is a marriage made in heaven—not between Orphée and Eurydice, but in the combined talents of the two premiere French ensembles Vox Luminis and A Nocte Temporis. Singing the title role of Charpentier’s 1686 mini opera (about the doomed love between Orphée and Eurydice), Reinoud Van Mechelen uses his effortlessly high tenor range and silvery tone to color his lament for Eurydice and underscore his appeals for her release from Hades. The minor roles are characterfully sung by members of Vox Luminis who come together in finely nuanced choruses—major highlights of the work. The flutes and viols of A Nocte Temporis support them with style and sensitivity. Although the opera is missing its final act here, the performers still manage to whip up an emotional storm.
"Inventons mille jeux divers"
Lionel Meunier, A Nocte Temporis, Victoria Cassano, Zsuzsi Tóth, Reinoud Van Mechelen, Vox Luminis, Clara Coutouly
"Compagnes fidèles"
Lionel Meunier, Deborah Cachet, Clara Coutouly, A Nocte Temporis, Vox Luminis, Reinoud Van Mechelen
"Qu'ai-je entendu ? Que vois-je ?"
"Affreux tourments, gênes cruelles"
"Quelle touchante voix"
"Que cherche en mon palais ce mortel téméraire ?"
A Nocte Temporis, Reinoud Van Mechelen, Geoffroy Buffière
"Pauvre amant, quel cœur de rocher"
"Le destin est contraire à ce que tu souhaites"
Vox Luminis, Geoffroy Buffière, Lionel Meunier, Reinoud Van Mechelen, Stefanie True, A Nocte Temporis
"Quel charme impérieux m'incite à la tendresse ?"
Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis, Geoffroy Buffière, Vox Luminis, Stefanie True, Lionel Meunier
"Je cède, je me rends, aimable Prosperine"
Reinoud Van Mechelen, Geoffroy Buffière, A Nocte Temporis
"Vous partez donc, Orphée ?"