Founded in 1979 by Franco-American harpsichordist and conductor William Christie, Les Arts Florissants is one of the best-known baroque-music ensembles in the world. Established in the name of creativity, pleasure and sharing, the Ensemble — which takes its name from a short opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier — has played a pioneering role in the revival of a repertoire that had been largely forgotten and which is now enjoyed across the globe in all the most prestigious concert houses.
This pioneering spirit has never died, and Les Arts Florissants’ two artistic directors, William Christie and Paul Agnew - who was appointed Musical Codirector in 2019 - continue the ensemble’s tradition of research and innovation today.
Les Arts Florissants performs over a hundred concerts each season with more than 200 artists. They are artists in residence at the Philharmonie de Paris and are active ambassadors for French culture abroad, being regularly invited to New York, London, Edinburgh, Brussels, Vienna, Salzburg, Madrid, Barcelona, Moscow and elsewhere.
