Having grown up beneath the radiant skies of Provence, André Campra brought a deeply personal vision to the text of the Requiem Mass. Rather than dwelling on the image of a wrathful God and the terrors of the Last Judgement, he finds instead every possible gentleness in the promise of eternity, eternal rest and everlasting light. From its opening chorus, the work reveals this profoundly consoling perspective.

Campra does not, however, overlook the torments of damnation. The men’s trios, with their twisting, dissonant harmonies, evoke chilling visions of hell, while the great choral outbursts seem to summon the anguished souls of Purgatory. As in Lalande’s sacred music, serenity reaches its height in the Agnus Dei, where the invocation of Christ brings music of extraordinary tenderness. The work concludes with a magnificent Italianate chorus in which Campra’s fundamentally optimistic and sunlit temperament ultimately prevails, suggesting that life on earth, for all its trials, has been richly worth living.

Sébastien Daucé leads his Ensemble Correspondances in a programme centred on this remarkable interpretation of the Requiem Mass.

Jean Veillot ( ?-1662)

Tristis es anima mea

André Campra (1660-1744)

Requiem

Michel-Richard de Lalande (1657-1726)

Dies irae

PRESTIGE VIP CATEGORY : Best seats in house, a complimentary glass of champagne is included.

PRESTIGE CATEGORY : Excellent seats, a complimentary glass of champagne is included.

REDUCED GROUP RATE : available for groups of more than 10 people, excluding corporate offers.

CORPORATE GROUP RATES : for more information, please refer to our page dedicated to works councils and groups.

In case of any technical problem, the box office service remains available to complete your order by phone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89 (Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm) or in our box office-shop (3 bis rue des Réservoirs, 78000 Versailles ; Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturdays with concerts or shows except during the Musical Fountains Shows, from 2pm to 5pm).

To ensure the best welcome possible, people with limited mobility are advised to book their seats by telephone.