Faure's Requiem: Église de la Madeleine
Paris, Eglise de la Madeleine — Main Hall
About the Event
Experience classical music like never before in this astonishing performance of masterworks by Fauré at Paris's remarkable Eglise de la Madeleine.
Gabriel Fauré's Requiem de Fauré in D minor, Op. 48, written at the height of his musical maturity, is one of his best‐known works.
It was first performed on January 16, 1888 in the Madeleine church. This mass for the dead is considered one of Fauré's masterpieces, and one of the most beautiful requiems of the 19th century. This highly personal work contains several pieces that rank among the most moving in Western choral music.
Program
- Gabriel Fauré – Requiem op. 48
- Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 3, Op. 55 'Heroic Symphony'
Artists
| Orchestra: | Orchestre Helios Established with the aim of forging links between graduating students and professional orchestras, the Orchestre Hélios has gone from strength to strength in the ten years since its 2014 launch. The brainchild of artistic director, Paul Savalle, the orchestra is unusual in its commitment to collaborating with local and regional choral ensembles, expanding its repertoire, which already stretches from the Baroque to the Contemporary, to include major vocal works. The orchestra's musicians are graduates and senior students at France's leading conservatoires, and several also play with national orchestras. A roster of distinguished guest conductors helps accustom members to different styles and approaches to musical leadership. Performing in some of Paris' most majestic churches, including La Madeleine and Saint Sulpice, on a regular basis, the orchestra is designed in such a way that its forces can scale from full symphony down to string quartet, facilitating access to additional beautiful and unusual spaces, many of which are not usually open to the public. |
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| Choir: | Choeur Hélios Ephémère One of Paris' finest non‐professional choirs, the Choeur Helios Ephémère joins the Orchestre Helios to perform the greatest religious musical works in some of the city's most beautiful and famous churches. Bringing together professional and accomplished amateur singers for special projects, the choir sings works such as Verdi or Mozart's Requiem, the Bach Passions, or Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in venues including La Madeleine, Saint Sulpice, Sainte Eustache, or Saint Germain des Prés, attracting informed and appreciative audiences. |
Eglise de la Madeleine
The Eglise de la Madeleine is a 19th-century Roman Catholic church that commands all eyes in its lovely location between the Place de la Concorde and the Palais Garnier in Paris. The construction process stretched over 80 years, as the building's plans - and those funding it - underwent many changes. Initially intended as Napoleon's tribute to his victorious army, the Neo-Classical style, echoing that of an Ancient Roman temple, retains the immense standing columns of earlier churches on the site. Inside the Eglise de la Madeleine, one can admire beautiful Neo-Byzantine mosaics, paintings and sculptures. The Neo-Classical architecture and impressive internal decorations create a perfect atmosphere for the classical concerts that take place in the church throughout the year. A magnificent pipe organ, considered to be one of the most impressive instruments in Paris in terms of its tonal beauty, plays its own part in the La Madeleine's musical life.
Address
Eglise de la Madeleine, Place de la Madeleine, Paris, France — Google Maps
