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William ChristieAmerican and French harpsichordist and conductor.
Date of Birth: 19.12.1944
Country:  USA |
Content:
- William Christie, American-French Harpsichordist and Conductor
- Collaboration with René Jacobs and Founding of Les Arts Florissants
- Teaching and Honors
- Opera Pastiche and International Acclaim
William Christie, American-French Harpsichordist and Conductor
Born in Buffalo, New York, William Christie received his education in art history at Harvard and in music at Yale. He later relocated to France in 1971.
Collaboration with René Jacobs and Founding of Les Arts Florissants
Christie collaborated with renowned conductor René Jacobs before establishing his own Baroque orchestra, Les Arts Florissants, in 1979. The ensemble takes its name from Marc-Antoine Charpentier's opera of the same title. The orchestra's repertoire encompasses works by European Baroque composers such as Purcell, Lully, Couperin, Rameau, and Handel.
Teaching and Honors
Christie has served as a professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. His contributions to the arts have been recognized with the prestigious Officer of the Legion of Honour (1995) and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Opera Pastiche and International Acclaim
On December 31, 2011, Christie conducted the opera pastiche "The Enchanted Island," featuring music by renowned director Jeremy Sams. The performance further solidified his international reputation as a leading interpreter of Baroque music.
