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Orchestre Musique des Lumières (= MDL) established in 2004 as part of Saisons Musique des Lumières (under the name OSJ Orchestre Symphonique du Jura), the orchestral group quickly became a major cultural player in northwestern Switzerland. The orchestra frequently performs throughout the Jura region of France and Switzerland. Through its appearances in other Swiss cities, it has gained an enthusiastic following. In November 2010, the Musique des Lumières Orchestra was a big hit on its first German tour.
From the start, Facundo Agudin has been the Artistic and Musical Director. The Musique des Lumières Orchestra has played a number of pieces by contemporary composers: D. Haladjian (Missa de Lumine, 2003), Christian Giger (various works, 2003, 2006), A. Pflüger (Der schwarze Mozart in 2006, Doppelkonzert für Bandoneón und Cembalo in 2008). In 2010, the orchestra gave the first Swiss performances of Christian Favre’s Requiem (CD in 2010 for Doron Music) and J. Fontyn’s Capricorn (multi-percussion concerto). In June 2011, MDL and Facundo Agudin were invited by the Giorgio Cini Foundation to perform the world premiere of Julio Viera’s El Laberinto. The event marked the “birth” of a vast labyrinth created by Rendall Coates in the cloisters of San Giorgio Maggiore in honor of Jorge Luis Borges on the 25th anniversary of his death.
Since 2012 Facundo Agudin and the orchestra have been working on the “Nuevo Tango Nuevo” project with bandoneónist and composer Marcelo Nisinman and various artists. These new compositions are the basis for publications, concerts, and recordings (Universal Music Group).
In the opera world, the Musique des Lumières Orchestra has teamed up with Compagnie Opera Obliqua, Kaserne Basel, the Biel Theater, the Wielki Poznán Theater, the Ricordi Berlin, Universal Music Group, DRS2 Radio, OehmsClassics, the Stand’Eté Festival in Moutier, the Théâtre du Passage in Neuchâtel, the Palace in Bienne, the Vevey Theather, the Fribourg Theater, the Granit National Stage in Belfort, Classica Italiana Orchestra, the Advanced School of Music in Saluzzo, and the Olympic Winter Games Committee for Turin 2006.
Its repertoire includes W.A. Mozart'S Die Zauberflöte, Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte; Der schwarze Mozart (world premiere), Dido & Aeneas, The Fairy Queen, Un Tango pour Monsieur Lautrec, Demetrio Re di Siria, Don Carlo and Der Kaiser von Atlantis. In 2013, the orchestra performed George Frideric Handel's Giulio Cesare at Stand’Eté, and in 2014 it will be Puccini’s Tosca with Ramón Vargas in Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Vevey, and Porrentruy.
The orchestra’s discography includes Christian Favre’s Requiem (Doron Music), Demetrio, Re di Siria by J.S. Mayr (world premiere recording, Oehms Classics - DRS2), and the recent: Der Rose Pilgerfahrt by Robert Schumann (Doron Music) and Nuevo Tango Nuevo (Oehms Classics). |
