Gwendoline Blondeel and Maxime Melnik perform at the New York Baroque Festival
Maxime Melnik makes his US debut and is joined by gwendoline blondeel at the new york baroque festival, where they perform with opera lafayette
Following an extremely successful European tour with the Freiburger Barockorchester, the young Belgian singer Gwendoline Blondeel will now join Opera Lafayette to sing the role of La Folie in the first modern reprisal of Rameau’s Io with performances in both Washington DC (Kennedy Center) and New York City (Museo del Barrio). A modern premiere of Pierre de La Garde’s opéra-ballet titled Léandre et Héro will accompany this notable debut for what promises to be three dazzling performances.
It is with great pleasure that we announce that another of our artists, Maxime Melnik, will star in the title role for this production. After two initial performances on 2nd and 3rd May, the cast will perform at the
THE ERA OF MADAME DE POMPADOUR
NEW YORK GALA
Opera Lafayette welcomes
H.R.H. PRINCESS CHANTAL DE FRANCE AND THE BARON FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DE SAMBUCY DE SORGUE
MACHINE DAZZLE
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Gwendoline will sing one final concert with Opera Lafayette on 11th May at the Museo del Barrio, featuring Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, before resuming her engagements elsewhere, performing with Les Argonauts in Geneva and with Cappella Mediterranea in Dortmund.
See below for more information
The two artists received raving reviews for their performances; in an article by The Washington Post, the production is described as ‘eye-popping’, giving a ‘fresh bite to French Baroque’.
‘the premiere completes Opera Lafayette’s season-length exploration of “The Era of Madame de Pompadour,” and confirms the company as one of the most creatively game and artistically sound operations in the business’
‘Not only were his costumes a visual delight, but they created their own strata of suspense and anticipation, with each vibrant look outsparkling the one before. I’ve never seen so much Lycra, lamé, glitter, garland, chiffon and fringe on one stage (which is saying a lot), and the maximalism felt custom-tailored to Rameau’s racing, bracing, mischievous music. More than the reanimation of a dormant dream, “Io” felt like the release of 280 years of pent-up energy’
The Washington Post
MAXIME MELNIK
‘Léandre was powerfully sung by tenor Maxime Melnik — well suited to Léandre’s pining protagonist, spirited away atop the waves of a tempestuous sea’
The Washington Post
GWENDOLINE BLONDEEL
‘The vocal highlight of the evening was soprano Gwendoline Blondeel, who emerged in a 14-foot tower of colorful tulle as La Folie. Her voice is lithe, elastic and effortlessly comic — her weird little flicks, trills and warbles earning delighted giggles from the audience’
The Washington Post
UPCOMING CONCERTS
2ND MAY | 7.30PM |TERRACE THEATRE, KENNEDY CENTRE
With Opera Lafayette
Find Out More HERE
Opéra-ballet: Rameau’s Io and de La Garde’s Léandre et Héro
Maxime Melnik - Tenor
Gwendoline Blondeel - Soprano
3RD MAY | 7.30PM | TERRACE THEATRE, KENNEDY CENTRE
With Opera Lafayette
Find Out More HERE
Opéra-ballet: Rameau’s Io and de La Garde’s Léandre et Héro
Maxime Melnik - Tenor
Gwendoline Blondeel - Soprano
9TH MAY | 6.30PM | MUSEO DEL BARRIO, NYC
With Opera Lafayette
Find Out More HERE
Opéra-ballet: Rameau’s Io and de La Garde’s Léandre et Héro
Maxime Melnik - Tenor
Gwendoline Blondeel - Soprano
9TH MAY | 8.30PM | MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
With Opera Lafayette
Find Out More HERE
Dinner and Music - GALA EVENT
Maxime Melnik - Tenor
Gwendoline Blondeel - Soprano
11TH MAY | 6.30PM | MUSEO DEL BARRIO, NYC
With Opera Lafayette
Find Out More HERE
Pergolesi Sabat Mater
Gwendoline Blondeel - Soprano
17TH MAY | 6.30PM | Salle Frank Martin, Festival Agapé
With Les Argonauts
Find Out More HERE
Handel Dixit Dominus
Gwendoline Blondeel - Soprano
21st MAY | 6.30PM | DORTMUND, KLANGVOCAL MUSIKFESTIVAL
With Cappella Mediterranea
Find Out More HERE
Monteverdi, Vespro della Beata Vergine
Gwendoline Blondeel - Soprano