George Frideric Handel - Messiah (Christophe Rousset)

Information

Composer: George Frideric Handel

• Messiah, HWV 56

Ana Vieira Leite, soprano

Sarah Connolly, mezzo-soprano

Andrew Staples, tenor

William Thomas, bass

Monteverdi Choir

English Baroque Soloists

Christophe Rousset, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: harmonia mundi

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To inaugurate their new joint partnership with harmonia mundi, the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists have selected George Frideric Handel’s iconic sacred oratorio, Messiah. Directed by conductor Christophe Rousset, the renowned period-instrument ensemble and choir join forces with a stellar quartet of vocal soloists. Together, they deliver a compelling interpretation of Handel's celebrated masterpiece, capturing its profound dramatic intensity, expressive eloquence, and triumphant spiritual exultation.

Christophe Rousset (born 1961), founder of Les Talens Lyriques, is a renowned harpsichordist and conductor known for his passion for opera and early European music. Trained in Paris and The Hague, he gained early acclaim by winning the Bruges Harpsichord Competition at 22. Since founding his ensemble in 1991, he has become a key figure in reviving Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic repertoires, performing across major European venues and internationally. Rousset is also celebrated for his benchmark harpsichord recordings, his educational work with top institutions, his guest conducting, and his scholarly publications on Rameau, François Couperin, and historical performance practice.