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Founded in 1986 on the initiative of the Champagne-Ardenne Region and the Regional Cultural Department, Akademia, conducted by Françoise Lasserre, has given over two hundred concerts: In the Champagne-Ardenne Region, through regular collaboration with towns, associations, cultural organisations and festivals; In France, at the invitation of festivals such as La Chaise-Dieu, Auvers-sur-Oise, Festival Estival d'lle-de-France, Paris Festival d'Art Sacré, Ambronay Festival, Les Rencontres de Cons-la-Granville, Lourdes Sacred Music festival, Noirlac Festival, etc.; Abroad (Germany: Neuss Festival of Sacred Music, Besigheim, Mainz; Italy' Rome, Milan, Palestrina, Voce di Europa Festival in Porto Torres, Cremona Festival; Belgium: Mosan Summer Festival; Bruges Ancient Music Festival, Netherlands' Utrecht Festival).
The Ensemble's choice of repertoire, offering interpretations not only of major works (George Frideric Handel's Dixit Dominus and Messiah, J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) and Mass in B minor (BWV 232), Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, Monteverdi's Vespers (1610), W.A. Mozart's Requiem), but also of lesser-known ones (Intermezzi from La Pellegrina, Mehul's Coronation Mass, Masses by Frank Martin and Francis Poulenc, Requiem by Pierre Bouteiller, Requiem, Missa Concertante and Vespers for the Annunciation by Cavalli, Canticum Canticorum by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Motets by the Bach family), has greatly contributed to the development and recognition of Akademia's work (1st Prize for Interpretation at the Palestrina Competition in 1993, nomination by the jury of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice for the "Antonio Vivaldi" International Record Prize in March 1995).
Whatever the works performed, the characteristic features of an interpretation by Akademia are vitality freedom of approach, perfect accuracy and a wonderful brilliance in the voices. |
