Christophe Rousset joins Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras for Christmas tour

The Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras (MCO) has today announced that Christophe Rousset will lead the MCO for its upcoming Baroque Christmas tour. Rousset will make his MCO conducting debut this December before leading concerts at La Scala and the ensembles’ home at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Rousset’s appointment follows July’s announcement that conductor and MCO founder Sir John Eliot Gardiner will not be returning to the organisation following an assault on bass singer Will Thomas at the Berlioz Festival at La Côte-Saint-André in France last August. More dates for the MCO’s creative partnership with Christophe Rousset will be announced next week when the MCO announces its full autumn season.

Rousset’s arrival has been welcomed by MCO musicians. Choir member Sam Evans said: ‘I’m very proud to have sung in the choir for the last 23 years and we are really excited that this December the Monteverdi Choir will collaborate with Christophe Rousset. It is going to be a thrill for the Monteverdi Choir to bring Christophe’s vision for these Christmas masterpieces to life in what is a new chapter for us going forward.’

The MCO’s programme of Baroque Christmas music by Bach and Charpentier will see them collaborate with four soloists: Hilary Cronin, Bethany Horak- Hallett, Florian Sievers and Florian Störtz. Rousset will bring to his new role a long-held passion for European musical heritage and the Baroque, Classical and early Romantic repertoires. He will balance his touring role with his work as founder and conductor of the ensemble Les Talens Lyriques and his active parallel career as a harpsichordist.

Rousset said: ‘I felt very honoured to receive the invitation to conduct a Christmas programme with the MCO. From an early age, I have been a great fan of this ensemble and its founder. Having the chance to work with this wonderful “instrument” at my fingertips is a great privilege.’