André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry - L'Amant jaloux (Mathieu Lussier)

Information

Composer: André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry

• L'Amant jaloux

Magali Simard-Galdès; Hélène Guilmette

Guylaine Girard; Pierre Derhet

Artavazd Sargsyan; Matthieu Lécroart

Arion Orchestre Baroque

Mathieu Lussier, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: ATMA Classique

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Premiered at Versailles in 1778, André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry’s L’Amant jaloux stands as a refined masterpiece of French opéra-comique. This "comedy interspersed with arias" elegantly navigates themes of jealousy and arranged marriages through an expressive musical dialogue that aligns beautifully with the text. Historically acclaimed, the work remained in the repertoire until the mid-19th century. In a modern revival produced alongside the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, Canada's Arion Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Mathieu Lussier, unites with an exceptional vocal cast to breathe fresh, dynamic energy into this enduring celebration of French operatic heritage.

André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (1741–1813) was a pivotal French composer who significantly advanced French opéra comique from light popular plays into sophisticated musical dramas. Educated in Liège, Rome, and Geneva, Grétry moved to Paris in 1767 under the encouragement of Voltaire. He subsequently composed over 50 stage works, characterized by their exceptional finesse and melodic grace. Renowned for his meticulous text-setting, Grétry achieved immense success with masterpieces like Richard Coeur de Lion, a seminal precursor to French Romantic opera. Widely celebrated during his lifetime, he received a Napoleonic pension and authored a significant treatise on music memoirs.

Mathieu Lussier is a distinguished Canadian conductor, bassoon virtuoso, and educator who serves as Artistic Director of the Arion Baroque Orchestra and Domaine Forget de Charlevoix. For over two decades, he has passionately championed the modern and baroque bassoon internationally, amassing a robust discography of solo concertos and sonatas. An acclaimed chamber musician with the ensemble Pentaèdre, Lussier is also an Associate Professor at the Université de Montréal. His extensive conducting career includes a notable tenure as Associate Conductor of Les Violons du Roy and guest appearances leading major symphony and chamber orchestras across Canada.