The scene was one of meticulous care and quiet preparation: a gardener carefully sculpted a towering topiary, while nearby, a man fed graceful swans on a shimmering lake. Technicians bustled on a stage built over the water, fine-tuning equipment.
Taking a brief pause from rehearsals, renowned harpsichordist and conductor William Christie, founder of the Baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants, strolled through his magnificent gardens. He paused by a line of fruit trees, gently plucking a heat-damaged brown leaf, a quiet reminder of recent extreme weather.
“Alas,” he lamented, reflecting on the growing frequency of intense heatwaves. “There’s much work to be done before the festival begins.”
Image: A stunning baroque garden in France, meticulously cultivated by William Christie over decades, surrounds a restored 17th-century manor.
In late August, Thiré, a small town in western France, buzzed with activity. Here, William Christie has dedicated decades to reviving a dilapidated 17th-century manor and crafting an extraordinary baroque garden. Now, he was gearing up for his yearly music festival, ‘Dans les Jardins de William Christie,’ marking both his 80th birthday and the remarkable musical legacy he has forged. Though born in Buffalo, N.Y., Christie is a revered figure in France, credited with single-handedly revitalizing French baroque music and elevating composers like Lully, Charpentier, Couperin, and Rameau to international acclaim. His vibrant and imaginative performances proved that early music could be captivating and fashionable, consistently selling out prestigious venues from the opulent Versailles opera house to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where he is set to perform again in December after a five-year hiatus.
Whether tending to his music or his elaborate gardens, Christie, a dapper and distinguished figure, embodies the essence of a perfectionist driven by an deep appreciation for beauty. The repertoire chosen by his ensemble, much like his meticulously restored Grand Siècle estate and its spectacular grounds, thrives once more, brought back from the brink of oblivion where they lay when he first began his journey.
Image: Before and after views of William Christie’s property in Thiré, France. Once barren fields in 1985, it now boasts a magnificent Baroque garden with intricate topiary designs.
Christie recollected that upon his arrival in France in 1970, the presence of early music in concert halls was virtually nonexistent. Similarly, when he first stumbled upon the Thiré estate in 1985, it was merely an abandoned house amidst vast fields. Yet, in both instances, he recognized immense potential.
“The entire vision was largely in my head,” he remarked, referring to the garden. However, this statement could equally apply to the ambitious undertakings of his musical ensemble.
Mastering Musical Expression
Hours later, in a village community hall, Christie led a rehearsal of Charpentier’s “La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers.” This performance featured the latest cohort from Le Jardin des Voix, his academy established in 2002 to nurture young vocal talent, alongside a small group of instrumentalists.
Distinguished and sharp in lemon-colored pants and a pristine shirt, Christie paused the music with a raised hand. “Do you have the text?” he inquired of the cellist, who nodded nervously. “It’s crucial,” Christie stressed. “To truly perform French music, you must grasp how the inherent musicality of its language – its declamation and syntax – is fundamental to its eloquence.”
Throughout the rehearsal, he continually interrupted the singers, meticulously honing their articulation and emphasis. “Please, give me words!” he’d implore. He once corrected a misplaced scream with a wry, “No, no, that’s for a ‘Turandot’ audition,” and dramatically demonstrated a dying breath: “Je meu-eu-eurs…” often demanding repetition of a single phrase until perfected.
Video: Scenes from a rehearsal for the ‘Dans les Jardins de William Christie’ festival, showcasing the dedication to performance.
Myriam Rignol, a viola da gamba player with 12 years in the ensemble, described Christie as demanding, but primarily because he holds himself to the same high standards. “You don’t have to simply obey his wishes,” she explained, “but rather, you must convince him with your own interpretation. Technique is almost secondary; passion is what truly matters.”
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, recalling her first collaboration with Les Arts Florissants on Handel’s “Hercules” in 2004, admitted she arrived at rehearsals “duly terrified,” having heard of Christie’s rigorous reputation and bracing herself for a barrage of corrections.
To her surprise, Christie welcomed the cast with a powerful speech, declaring that their work was a profound human drama and he expected everything they could offer vocally, “from the purest, softest tones to the most unrestrained screams.”
“I felt completely liberated,” DiDonato recounted, having recently surprised Christie with a performance at his 80th birthday concert at Carnegie Hall.
Image: William Christie intensely playing the harpsichord during a festival rehearsal, just days before its opening.
Soprano Sonya Yoncheva, a star in the world’s top opera houses, credited her career’s true launch to participating in Christie’s Jardin des Voix program in 2007. “Bill’s genius,” she observed, “lies in his combination of deep musical knowledge with an almost primal instinct for vocal color. This blend of intellect and charisma makes his music profoundly emotional and deeply resonant with audiences.”
A Reluctant Start and a Move to Paris Amidst War
Initially, a musical career wasn’t Christie’s intention. He began piano lessons early, guided by his mother, an accomplished musician who directed the church choir and passionately supported the Buffalo Philharmonic.
“Through the choir,” Christie explained from his impressive barrel-vaulted library, filled with books, scores, and classical busts, “I gained an understanding of sacred music, a cornerstone of Western tradition.”
Image: Dancers stretching on an outdoor stage overlooking a lake. Christie remarked, “French Baroque music is incredibly rhythmic and perfect for dance. Rameau, I believe, holds as much choreographic potential as Stravinsky.”
Even as a child, he harbored an “incredible fascination for early music.” After hearing Handel’s “Messiah,” he once sabotaged his parents’ piano by attaching thumbtacks to its hammers, attempting to replicate the distinct sound of a harpsichord.
At Harvard, he majored in art history, yet his passion for music flourished as he participated in various musical societies and ensembles. He once spent a week isolated in his room, immersed in a recording of Janet Baker performing Rameau’s “Hippolyte et Aricie,” gifted to him by a roommate.
It wasn’t until his junior year that he fully embraced his calling. “A music faculty member directly challenged me,” Christie remembered, “‘Why are you holding back? Look in the mirror and admit that making music is the only thing you truly excel at and love.’”
After pursuing graduate studies at Yale under harpsichordist Ralph Kirkpatrick and teaching briefly at Dartmouth, Christie’s life took a decisive turn in 1970. Deeply opposed to the Vietnam War, and profoundly affected by the Kent State shootings where four student protesters were killed, he declared, “That’s it, my time here is over.”
Already fluent in French and deeply enamored with its culture and music, he made the pivotal move to Paris.
Image: Two contrasting views illustrate Christie’s journey in Thiré. One depicts a seemingly quiet village, representing the initial suspicion he faced as an outsider. The other suggests the vibrancy of his annual festival, which now attracts approximately 10,000 visitors to the small community each year.
Unearthing Hidden Musical Treasures
For several years, Christie moved between Paris, Amsterdam, and London, dedicating himself to teaching and performing with various ensembles. In 1979, driven by a strong desire to revive the waning French early music scene, he established Les Arts Florissants – a dynamic ensemble of singers and musicians committed to exploring the repertoire using period instruments. The group was named after a 17th-century Charpentier opera.
“While the Dutch and British excelled at Vivaldi and Handel, French music remained largely untouched,” he observed. “The French, though acknowledging its existence, believed a single modern technique sufficed for all music. This 16th to 18th-century repertoire was the last to be unearthed – and we achieved it.” A pivotal moment for the ensemble came in 1987 with a groundbreaking production of Lully’s “Atys” at the Opera Comique in Paris, directed by Jean-Marie Villegier. This marked the opera’s first staging in Paris in over two centuries, and its vibrant, fresh approach instantly shattered any lingering perception of baroque music as merely academic.
Image: William Christie, leading a group of singers in a village hall, a practice he honed across Paris, Amsterdam, and London before founding Les Arts Florissants.
“The staging was exceptional, and we tirelessly refined the music, ensuring the recitative was not just acceptable but truly thrilling,” Christie explained. “We rediscovered sounds on period instruments that composers would have recognized, exploring techniques often avoided by modern instrumentalists.” He described it as “grand musical theater,” which launched them onto the global stage. For decades, Christie and Les Arts Florissants have been staples in major opera houses and concert halls worldwide. They captivate audiences with their innovative collaborations alongside visionary directors and choreographers, including Robert Carsen (on Handel’s “Alcina” and Rameau’s “Les Boréades”), Debra Warner (for Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas”), Peter Sellars (with Handel’s “Theodora”), Basil Twist (on Mondonville’s “Titon et l’Aurore”), and Mourad Merzouki (for Purcell’s “The Fairy Queen”), among many others.
Peter Sellars praised Christie’s “radical openness,” stating, “When working with Handel, preconceived notions are the least valuable; the music itself demanded to be heard. Christie’s willingness to embrace innovation allowed for truly exploratory interpretations.”
Video: A tranquil tour of William Christie’s meticulously restored 17th-century manor house and the spectacular baroque gardens he painstakingly created.
Nicholas Kenyon, former director of Britain’s renowned classical music festival, the Proms, emphasized that Christie’s unique blend of theatrical flair, deep musical scholarship, and sophistication has been pivotal to his widespread influence. “While others have brought this music into the mainstream,” Kenyon noted, “Christie stands out for his distinctively theatrical and audience-engaging approach.”
Amidst his gardens, Christie enthusiastically discussed his collaborations with directors and choreographers. He asserted that Baroque music possesses a “wonderful rhythmic quality for dance,” suggesting that “Rameau offers as much for a choreographer as Stravinsky.” He found period revivals “so much less free, and so much less fun.”
Securing the Legacy: The Future of Baroque Splendor
France has warmly embraced Christie, who gained citizenship, received numerous accolades including the Légion d’honneur, and was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 2008. Since 2015, his ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, has been the resident orchestra at the Philharmonie de Paris.
Reflecting on his life in France, Christie acknowledged “ups and downs, a few hard knocks.” He specifically mentioned that his initial arrival in Thiré, a small community wary of outsiders, was met with suspicion rather than warmth.
With an eye toward the future, Christie appointed Paul Agnew, a prominent singer and conductor within Les Arts Florissants, as co-director in 2019. The ensemble has also evolved into a foundation, acquiring and restoring properties in Thiré, including the house and gardens, and now hosts a festival that draws approximately 10,000 visitors annually.
Image: Paul Agnew, co-director of Les Arts Florissants, stands thoughtfully amidst the beautiful gardens at Thiré.
“Despite France’s occasional theatricality, it has been incredibly gracious to me,” Christie stated. “I’ve realized endeavors here that might have been impossible anywhere else.”
Christie’s next ambitious undertaking involves constructing a theater with dedicated rehearsal spaces in Thiré. Currently, the primary large-scale venue is the open-air stage over the lake, aptly named the ‘Mirroir d’eau.’ The foundation has already secured land and initial funding for a feasibility study, signaling a significant, fundraising-intensive project ahead.
Christie, known for his rhetorical questions, admitted, “Do I ever question what I’m doing? Absolutely, yes.”
Yet, he possesses an extraordinary talent for transforming seemingly impossible dreams into reality. Thomas Dunford, a lutenist with Les Arts Florissants, affirmed, “That’s his gift. He envisions what he desires and then brings it to fruition.”
Image: An enchanting view of an illuminated classical building reflected on a serene pool at dusk, surrounded by trees. Christie observed, “France, for all its occasional grandstanding, has been exceptionally generous to me. I’ve achieved things here that I believe would have been unattainable elsewhere.”