Founded in 1998 by Vincent Dumestre, Le Poème Harmonique is internationally recognised for its imaginative and theatrical approach to seventeenth- and eighteenth-century repertoire. Bringing together singers, instrumentalists, actors, dancers and circus artists, the ensemble has developed a unique artistic language at the crossroads of music, theatre and visual storytelling. Le Poème Harmonique explores both celebrated masterpieces and forgotten treasures from the Baroque era, ranging from the splendours of Versailles — with composers such as Lully, Charpentier, Couperin and Lalande — to the worlds of Monteverdi, Cavalli, Pergolesi and Purcell. The ensemble is particularly admired for programmes that blur the boundaries between sacred and secular traditions, learned music and popular culture, often integrating staging, movement and striking spatial effects into concert performance. In opera, Le Poème Harmonique has become a major reference point for the interpretation of seventeenth-century repertoire, especially the works of Lully, Cavalli and Monteverdi. Its long-standing collaboration with stage director Benjamin Lazar has resulted in productions acclaimed internationally for their historical imagination, dramatic intensity and visual poetry. The ensemble continues to renew the Baroque repertoire through inventive productions and rediscoveries. Recent projects have included L’Homme-Femme by Galuppi, staged by Agnès Jaoui for Opéra de Dijon, Théâtre de Caen and the Opéra Royal de Versailles, as well as new interpretations of major works such as Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea. Equally characteristic are the ensemble’s immersive concert productions, in which processions, lighting and spatial movement become part of the musical experience itself. With around sixty performances each season, Le Poème Harmonique appears regularly at many of the world’s leading concert halls and festivals, including the Philharmonie de Paris, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Opéra-Comique, Wigmore Hall, Teatro Real Madrid, Philharmonie Berlin, Wiener Konzerthaus, BOZAR Brussels, the BBC Proms, and major festivals such as Ambronay, Beaune and Sablé. Deeply rooted in Normandy, where many of its productions are created, the ensemble also remains strongly committed to educational, social and professional development initiatives for young musicians. Le Poème Harmonique’s extensive discography has received numerous international distinctions and reflects the ensemble’s wide artistic range. Recent releases include Mon Amant de Saint-Jean with Stéphanie d’Oustrac (Alpha Classics), Cavalli’s L’Egisto, and Lully’s Armide for Château de Versailles Spectacles. The 2024/25 season also saw the release of two major sacred works: Monteverdi Testamento – Vespro della Madonna 1643 and Purcell’s Hail! Bright Cecilia.