Thus the world-premiere of Marais’ lyric tragedy Semele will be conducted by Hervé Niquet at the helm of Le Concert Spirituel; it will be complemented by a concert consisting of suites and pieces for violas, theorbos and harpsichord, conducted by Jordi Savall.

Three of Mozart’s operas will be performed using historical criteria: the sacred opera - in fact an oratorio - La Betulia liberata, under the baton of Antonio Florio, with the Namur Chamber Choir with the Capella de’ Turchini; Idomeneo, his first mature masterpiece for the stage, conducted by the young Jérémie Rhorer at the helm of the Namur Choir and the Orchestra Le Cercle de L´Harmonie; and Don Giovanni with La Petite Bande conducted by Sigiswald Kuijken.

Apart from these commemorative works, the festival also features Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, a co-production with the Opéra National de Paris Garnier, conducted by Marc Minkowski with Les Musiciens du Louvre; Rodelinda and Orlando by Handel, who always has a special place in the festival.

Paul McCreesh will conduct the former with the Gabrieli Consort, and Octavio Dantone the latter at the helm of the Academia Bizantina. Finally, Rinaldo Alessandrini’s Concerto Italiano will perform Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, and Ton Koopman will conduct a program consisting of three of Bach’s secular cantatas.