Monday, July 27 – 9:00 p.m. / Valloire Church
Ann Ford's "Salons"
by the ensemble La Rêveuse
In Ann Ford’s London, people are captivated by Johann Christian Bach and Carl Friedrich Abel, by paintings by Gainsborough and Reynolds, and also by caricatures by James Gillray. A new Romantic movement is emerging, spearheaded by the writer Laurence Sterne. Young Ann tries to carve out a place for herself in the history of women musicians, but the road is difficult, the competition fierce, and the fall will be hard… Discover the astonishing fate of a female musician who dreamed of glory and true love.
Programme
Works by William Jackson, Carl Friedrich Abel, Thomas Augustine Arne, Johann Christian Bach, Johann Christian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel, James Oswald, Ann Ford, and William Thomson
Cast
Joséphine Solus, soprano
Florence Bolton, pardessus, bass viol, and co-artistic director
Olivier Riehl, flute
Jean-Miguel Aristizabal, harpsichord
Benjamín Perrot, English guitar, theorbo, and co-artistic director
The Dreamer
Founded by Benjamin Perrot and Florence Bolton, La Rêveuse is an early music ensemble composed of soloists who specialize in the artistic heritage of the 17th and 18th centuries. The group’s creative and concert activities span France and other countries (Europe, North America, Russia, etc.), and its recordings are regularly praised by critics both in France and abroad.
The company has produced several shows (Les Etats et Empires de la Lune with Benjamin Lazar, Le Rossignol et l’Empereur de Chine with Cécile Hurbault) and carried out major educational initiatives, including the “Aux Arts Lycéens” project and tours in the “Opérabus,” a bus converted into a mobile concert hall.
Always eager to present original projects to a wide audience, the ensemble also hosts concerts that combine visuals and music, linking early music to contemporary themes such as biodiversity (Serinette and Flageolets, focusing on birds) or gender equality (Muses or Musicians).
Florence Bolton, co-artistic director and viola da gamba
Florence Bolton began studying music at the age of seven, starting with the harpsichord and the recorder, but eventually devoted herself to the viola da gamba, which she studied under Marianne Muller.
As a soloist and continuo player, she performs with ensembles such as Akademia (Françoise Lasserre), Doulce Mémoire (Denis Raisin Dadre), La Fenice (Jean Tubéry), Il Seminario Musicale (Gérard Lesne), and Le Poème Harmonique (Vincent Dumestre) … In 2004, she founded the ensemble La Rêveuse with Benjamin Perrot and, together with him, has conducted extensive historical research, leading to the creation of projects and recordings that have been critically acclaimed. With a keen interest in musical iconography, she leads lectures and educational projects exploring the connection between music, social history, and painting.
In addition, Florence Bolton teaches the viola da gamba and chamber music in Orléans.
Benjamin Perrot, co-artistic director, lute and theorbo
Having chosen to devote himself primarily to early music, Benjamin Perrot studied the theorbo, lute, and baroque guitar at the Paris Conservatory (C.N.R.). He then furthered his training with Pascal Monteilhet and through workshops at the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles. For many years, he gained solid experience as a soloist and continuo player with Il Seminario Musicale (Gérard Lesne), Le Poème Harmonique (Vincent Dumestre), La Fenice (Jean Tubéry) ... or with orchestras such as Le Concert Spirituel (Hervé Niquet), Les Arts Florissants (William Christie), and Les Musiciens du Louvre (Marc Minkowski)... Since 2004, he has devoted himself almost exclusively to his ensemble La Rêveuse, founded with Florence Bolton, and has participated in over sixty recordings.
He teaches the lute and the theorbo at the Versailles Conservatory and serves as a vocal coach at the Versailles Baroque Music Center.
La Rêveuse receives support from the Ministry of Culture (DRAC Centre–Val de Loire) and the Centre–Val de Loire Region under the grant program for affiliated ensembles, as well as from the City of Orléans. The ensemble is a member of FEVIS (Federation of Specialized Vocal and Instrumental Ensembles), the Scène Ensemble union, and REMA (European Early Music Network). The ensemble receives occasional support from the CNM (National Music Center), SPEDIDAM, ADAMI, and SACEM.