An enigmatic figure, Jean Adam Guilain has left posterity a collection of suites imbued with grave majesty and subtle melancholy. Rarely played nowadays, the four suites that have escaped the hazards of time resonate for the first time on the Great Organs of the Chapelle Royale de Versailles. Guilain's solemn music is interwoven here with the gentle melodies of Jacques Morel, forming a sumptuous tableau in which organ, viol and harpsichord complement each other harmoniously. Thomas Ospital and the Ensemble Saint-Honore combine their talents to perform these little-known works with great finesse.

Torn between her love for the King of Denmark, Sandomir, and her duty to her father, Rodoald, King of Norway, Princess Ernelinde finds herself caught up in a political whirlwind in the heart of medieval Scandinavia. Beyond the exotic setting of this lyrical tragedy, the boldness of Philidor's composition reflects an unprecedented modernity, paving the way for Gluck's reforms. Under the passionate direction of Martin Wahlberg, the Orkester Nord and the Chantres du Centre de musique baroque de Versailles bring this forgotten opera back to life!

Alone in his workshop, the sculptor Pygmalion shapes a statue of incomparable beauty, to the point of falling hopelessly in love with it. He then implores Love to bring his creation to life, and, moved by his pure devotion, Love grants his wish. With Pigmalion, Rameau crafted his finest opera-ballet, showcasing the full brilliance of his genius to depict the transformation from marble to flesh and the passionate quest for love. Alongside this, Antoine Bailleux's version offers a fresh and novel interpretation of the myth. Camille Delaforge and the ensemble Il Caravaggio deliver a brilliant performance, unveiling the full evocative power and refined elegance of Rameau's style.

If Bach had written only the Mass in B minor, he would be considered the leading composer of sacred music in the Baroque period. Composed between 1733 and 1749, on the eve of his death, this Great Mass is a musical testament for posterity: the most accomplished synthesis of the aesthetics that Bach mastered to perfection, but also an anthology of his sacred work, with it's perfectly mastered architecture. John Eliot Gardiner delivers a sensitive reading of this pinnacle of Western music, which he has frequented for half a century, with irresistible energy and compelling beauty. The Monteverdi Choir, undoubtedly the best choir in the world, delivers an extraordinary musical performance. This exceptional moment, filmed in the Chapelle Royale at the Ch�teau de Versailles, sumptuously captures the majesty of this masterpiece of sacred art.

The terrible Atalia, having eliminated the entire royal family in order to secure her power, reigns mercilessly over Jerusalem. But seven years later, the High Priest, determined to put an end to her tyranny, joins forces with General Ormano and the wise old Nourrice to bring little Joas, the only survivor of the massacre, to the throne. Emmanuel Resche-Caserta and the Ensemble Hemiolia make Francesco Gasparini's oratorio their own, bringing to life characters in the grip of fury, vengeance and exaltation. The music, with it's striking dramatic intensity, underlines the final moral: justice and innocence always triumph.

In 1674, Lully and Quinault unveiled a new collaboration: Alceste, a tragedie en musique combining the dramatic power of the Greek myth from which it was inspired with the musical richness of the French Baroque. Despite criticism from the rivals of Lully and Quinault, this opera seduced the court of Louis XIV, reinforcing the new genre of the tragedie en musique. Stephane Fuget explores a world where love, sacrifice and duty intertwine, supported by sumptuous arias and choruses of unprecedented expressivity, sublimely performed by Les Epopees and the Ch�ur de l'Opera Royal.

The sorceress Armide, infatuated with the valiant knight Roland, but desperate for Roland to return her love, tries at all costs to lure him into her arms. At the same time, the courageous Herminie tries to protect Tancrede, Roland's companion, from the dangers that threaten him. Published in 1704, Suite d'Armide ou Jerusalem delivree is as rare as it is unique: in the handwriting of the Regent Philippe d'Orleans, it's composition testifies to a certain talent and a refined ear. Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon and Cappella Mediterranea brilliantly restore the little-known genius of the sovereign.

In an intrigue-filled Verona, Giulietta and her beloved Romeo struggle to live out their love in the face of conflicts between their families... Inspired by Luigi Da Porto's original 16th-century novella, Niccolo Antonio Zingarelli breathed new life into this iconic tale: from it's premiere in 1796, this flamboyant opera seria became Napoleon I's favourite opera. Gilles Rico chooses to set the play at the dawn of the 19th century, and skilfully stages the torments of the two young heroes, torn between their family duty and the violent passion that seizes them, all underlined by Roland Fontaine's grandiose sets and Christian Lacroix's splendid costumes.

The collection of toccatas Apparatus musico-organisticus, published in 1690, immediately established Georg Muffat as one of the greatest organists of his century. A veritable reference in the organ repertoire, appreciated for it's stylistic diversity, this work testifies to Muffat's ambition to blend European styles while exploring the expressive possibilities of the Baroque organ. Bernard Foccroulle deploys a range of emotions that underline the breadth and harmonic richness of the toccatas, performed on an organ emblematic of the French style that suits them so well, to which is added the delicate Sonata a violino solo, executed with brio by Marie Rouquie.

Giovanni Battista Velluti, born in 1780, was the last heir of the great Italian castrati. His exceptional voice, both powerful and agile, and his impressive vocal mastery opened the doors to the most prestigious opera houses in Europe. His talent for highly complex vocal ornamentation had a lasting influence on the style of vocal interpretation in the 19th century. Franco Fagioli immerses himself in Velluti's theatricality to recreate the full extent of his genius, and gives a superb performance of his most famous roles, accompanied by the Orchestre de l'Opera Royal de Versailles.

Having reached the peak of his art, Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed his final mass, Assumpta est Maria, around 1669. Composed around the theme of the Assumption of the Virgin, central to the Catholic religion, this grandiose work blends Italian influences and French style. Charpentier succeeded in combining devotion and virtuosity, making the Assumpta est Maria Mass one of the masterpieces of Baroque sacred music, still appreciated for it's mystical depth and musical brilliance. Gaetan Jarry, accompanied by his ensemble Marguerite Louise, gives a superb performance that brings out all the expressiveness and solemnity of this mass.

Although it is not known to which mysterious figures they were dedicated, Joseph de Boismortier's cantatas Les Quatre Saisons, published in 1724, resonate with the splendour of court festivities and the eloquence of the salons de conversation. The libretto, written by an anonymous but undoubtedly romantic hand, unfolds it's poetry through the seasons, and the composer seems to have enjoyed recreating all it's subtleties in his music. For her first recording as conductor, Chloe de Guillebon surrounded herself with young talent, accompanied by the skilful musicians of the Orchestre de l'Opera Royal de Versailles.

La Caravane du Caire became the greatest success of it's composer, Andre Gretry, as soon as it premiered in 1783. This flamboyant opera-ballet takes us to a fantasised Orient, where colourful characters meet: an ambitious slave trader, an idle Pasha and distraught lovers experience a thousand adventures, in a sumptuous setting, to the sound of Gretry's superb instrumentation. In a whirlwind of precious fabrics, the Ballet de l'Opera Royal accompanies Herve Niquet and Le Concert Spirituel in a brilliant rendition of this late 18th-century masterpiece.

A pupil of the famous Nicolas Lebegue, Nicolas de Grigny quickly dazzled his peers with the daring complexity of his writing. His compositions, veritable Baroque gems, captivated even Johann Sebastian Bach, who meticulously copied his entire organ book. The singular work of the former organist of Reims Cathedral is restored in all it's splendour by Michel Bouvard and Francois Espinasse on the keyboards of the Great Organ of the Chapelle Royale.

The young Wolfgang, aged only 10, composed the oratorio Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots (The Duty of the First Commandment) in 1767 on his return to Salzburg after a fabulous tour of Europe with his father Leopold and his sister. It's rich and varied orchestration reveals Mozart's precocious talent in using instrumentation to enrich the musical narrative and accentuate the emotions of the drama. The libretto depicts a half-hearted Christian who, thanks to Divine Mercy and Justice, is led back to the path of virtue by the Spirit of Christianity, despite the temptations of the Spirit of the world. Camille Delaforge and Il Caravaggio gracefully underline the harmonic skill of this most famous of musicians.