Jean-Pierre Loisil

Weber was at the forefront of the rise of German Romantic opera and sought to dethrone Rossini from his position as the leading operatic composer in Europe. In his breakthrough and most popular opera Der Freischütz (The Marksman) composed in 1821, he succeeded in his aim of establishing a truly German form. Turning to the folklore and folk songs of his native land he took a story of a marksman who makes a pact with the Devil, vesting it with powerful intensity not least in the famous Wolfs Glen scene and an astonishing control of orchestral color and atmosphere.

On November 17, 2012, Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard joined the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra for a performance of Arthur Honegger’s oratorio Joan of Arc at the Stake (Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher) at the L'Auditori de Barcelona in Spain, broadcast live on Medici.tv. By Swiss composer Arthur Honegger, Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher (1938) is an imposing oratorio. The libretto is a highly original creation by French poet and playwright Paul Claudel, who dramatises the last moments of the martyr's life. Originally written for actress Ida Rubinstein, the oratorio is written as a flashback in which Joan recalls her life, just before she dies. Honegger creates visually evocative ambiances and fills the orchestra with new sounds (saxophones, ondes Martenot). The initial prologue to the piece was added in 1944 as a symbol of the resistance during the Nazi occupation of France: again, Joan goes beyond her own story.

The Orchestre National de France with conductor Cristian Măcelaru and cellist Sol Gabetta perform a Franco-Russian programme at the Philharmonie de Paris concert hall. Programme: Gabriel Fauré – "Dolly" Suite op. 56 (orchestration Henri Rabaud) Camille Saint-Saëns – Cello Concerto n° 2 Camille Saint-Saëns – Cello Concerto n° 1 Alexander Scriabin – The Poem of Ecstasy

In Toulouse, Tugan Sokhiev conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with brio and finesse, performing works by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. A high-flying Slavic evening.

At the initiative of France Musique, artists of all backgrounds and nationalities are gathering at Radio France's Studio 104 for a concert in support of the Ukrainian people.

L’Uomo Femina is an opera by Baldassare Galuppi, a composer who, in his day, was more famous than Vivaldi. Directed by Agnès Jaoui, this production—filmed at the Opéra de Rouen—highlights the burlesque and decidedly contemporary nature of this rediscovered work.