The Three Counter-Tenors – Château de Versailles in concert in Versailles (Château de Versailles)January 30, 2025. All the practical information (prices, ticketing, seating chart) for this concert can be found on this page. Reserve your tickets now to attend this concert in Versailles!
Airs by Vivaldi, Handel, Porpora… Samuel Mariño, Théo Imart, Raphaël Tomkiewicz
Royal Opera Orchestra
Under the patronage of Aline Foriel-Destezet
Stefan Plewniak, direction
Thursday January 30, 9 p.m.
Salon of Hercules
Duration: 1h30 without intermission
CDs and DVDs available in the Château de Versailles Spectacles collection
In Baroque Europe, the Castrati had an unusual place, as the first stars of the history of music. Almost all Italian and trained in the conservatories of Naples, they dedicated themselves to operatic careers or to the service of the most prestigious princely chapels, up to the Vatican and the Royal Chapel of Versailles, often combining both jobs.
In numerous lyrical productions or sacred oratorios, from Vienna to London, the castrati systematically played the title role (and in Rome all the female roles) and several important roles, creating a real competition on the stage: it was then an escalation of virtuosity and emotion between the singers, of which the public was the arbiter by its requests for encores, then by the sumptuous gifts offered to the most adored singers. The opera was also regularly supplemented with arias of suitcase that the most sought-after castrati brought with them to shine.
With a trio as extraordinary as that formed by Samuel Mariño (Venezuela), Théo Imart (France), Raphaël Tomkiewicz (Poland), the public is invited to a high-level competition: baroque to the highest point, the emulation between these primi uomi was the attraction of Italian operas, here to relive the most thrilling vocal dynamics, through the voices of three countertenors bringing to life for one evening the Glory of the Castrates.
This program is recorded for the Château de Versailles Spectacles label
Presented by CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES SPECTACLES (L.3-1054036)
