Role

:

Conductor  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

December 19, 1944 in Buffalo, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Opera

 

William Christie is a renowned American conductor and harpsichordist, known for his expertise in Baroque music. He was born on December 19, 1944, in Buffalo, New York, to a family of musicians. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a singer. Christie grew up in Buffalo and began playing the piano at a young age. He later studied music at Harvard University and Yale University. After completing his studies, Christie moved to France in 1971 to pursue a career in music. He began performing as a harpsichordist and quickly gained recognition for his skill. In 1979, he founded the ensemble Les Arts Florissants, which specializes in Baroque music. The group takes its name from an opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier and has become one of the most respected early music ensembles in the world. Christie's work with Les Arts Florissants has earned him numerous awards and accolades. In 1987, he was awarded the prestigious French title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He was later promoted to the rank of Officier in 1993 and then to the rank of Commandeur in 2008. In 1996, he was awarded the Léonie Sonning Music Prize, one of the most prestigious music awards in Europe. Throughout his career, Christie has conducted many notable performances and recordings. In 1987, he conducted the first modern performance of Jean-Philippe Rameau's opera "Les Indes Galantes" at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. The performance was a critical and commercial success and helped to revive interest in Rameau's music. Christie has also conducted many other operas by Rameau, including "Hippolyte et Aricie," "Castor et Pollux," and "Les Boréades." In addition to his work with Les Arts Florissants, Christie has also conducted many other orchestras and ensembles. He has worked with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the Academy of Ancient Music, among others. He has also conducted at many of the world's leading opera houses, including the Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and the Opéra National de Paris. Christie's recordings have also received critical acclaim. He has recorded many of Rameau's operas, as well as works by other Baroque composers such as Handel, Purcell, and Monteverdi. His recording of Handel's "Messiah" with Les Arts Florissants won a Grammy Award in 2008. In recent years, Christie has continued to perform and record with Les Arts Florissants. In 2019, the group celebrated its 40th anniversary with a series of concerts and events in France and around the world. Christie has also continued to conduct other orchestras and ensembles, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. In addition to his work as a conductor and harpsichordist, Christie is also a respected musicologist. He has written extensively on Baroque music and has edited many editions of Baroque scores. He has also taught at many universities and conservatories, including the Paris Conservatory and the Juilliard School in New York. Overall, William Christie is a highly respected figure in the world of classical music. His work with Les Arts Florissants has helped to revive interest in Baroque music and has earned him numerous awards and accolades. His recordings and performances continue to be celebrated by audiences and critics alike, and his contributions to the field of musicology have helped to deepen our understanding of Baroque music.

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