Le Banquet Céleste
Le Banquet Céleste is an ensemble of soloists gathered around French countertenor Damien Guillon.
Founded in 2009, the ensemble promotes an exacting work on the baroque repertoire, with a regular team of singers and instrumentalists who were all specially trained in the styles approached by the ensemble.
On the eve of its 10th anniversary season, Le Banquet Céleste has won over many prestigious concert halls and festivals: Salle Gaveau (Paris), Rennes and Avignon Opera, Festival d’Arques-la-Bataille, Les Arts renaissants (Toulouse), Festival for Ancient Music (Froville), Saint-Michel en Thiérache, Festival de Sablé, Festival de Saintes, Festival de Beaune, Festival d’Ambronay, Festival de La Chaise Dieu… The ensemble was also invited in China (Beijing and Wuhan), Belgium (Concertgebouw Brugge and Bijloke Gand), Italy (Jesi Pergolesi Spontini Festival), and Germany at the Klangvokal Festival in Dortmund.
The first recording of the ensemble, devoted to Bach’s cantatas BWV 170 and 35 for alto and organo obligato, was released by Zig-Zag Territoires in 2012. It garnered stellar reviews in the specialized press (fff by Télérama, 4/5 Diapason Magazine, **** by Classica). In 2016, has been released by Glossa “Bach and Italy” with Celine Scheen including Vivaldi’s Nisi Dominus and Bach Psaulm 51 (Télérama ffff) and “Affetti amorosi” dedicated to G. Frescobaldi Arie Musicali as been released in February 2018 (5/5 Diapason Magazine).
Among other recent and upcoming projects: Christmas cantatas by J.S. Bach and Johannes-Passion with children choir, A. Stradella’s San Giovanni Battista (staging by Vincent Tavernier), G-F Haendel’s Acis and Galatea (staging by Anne-Laure Liégeois), Maddalena ai piedi di Cristo by A. Caldara and H. Pucell’s Odes and Welcome songs with choir.
Relevante recensies
