An American in the Vendée
Born in Buffalo, New York, William Christie moved to France in 1970, at the age of twenty-six. But it was in 1979 that his destiny changed when he decided to create his own musical ensemble - Les Arts Florissants was born. Before long, this formation had established itself as one of the most renowned Baroque music ensembles in France and the rest of the world, restoring to its rightful place an entire heritage that had fallen into oblivion: that of Western music, particularly French, from the 17th and 18th centuries. William Christie bases the headquarters of the Les Arts Florissants Foundation in the Vendée.
Passing on the Baroque spirit, from Vendée to New York
Les Arts Florissants' ties with its founder's homeland have never been severed - on the contrary, they have only grown stronger. Indeed, William Christie and his Ensemble have played a decisive role in the rediscovery of this repertoire among American audiences, not least thanks to their privileged links with a major musical institution: the Juilliard School in New York. Launched in 2007, this partnership led to the creation of the early music department at this prestigious conservatory in 2009, enabling a whole new generation of American performers to be trained in the interpretation of Baroque music.
New York - Vendée: a long-lasting, meaningful bond
Exchanges between New York and the Foundation's headquarters in Vendée have become an integral part of Les Arts Florissants' identity, structuring each of its artistic seasons. Regular concerts in New York's greatest halls - Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Morgan Library and the Brooklyn Academy of Music - annual masterclasses at the Juilliard School, mobility programs for Juilliard students in the Vendée, partnership with the French Heritage Society for the mobility of American landscape architects in Thiré (village inVendée, base of the Foundation)... from one side of the Atlantic to the other, Baroque culture spreads through travel and sharing!
