Verdi's Requiem at La Madeleine Church

Verdi's Requiem

Orchestra: Hélios Orchestra

Conductor: Romain Dumas

Chœur Éphémère de Paris (Paris Ephemeral Choir)

Presentation of the work

Verdi's Requiem, an "opera of the dead"?
On May 22, 1873, the poet Alessandro Manzoni died. Verdi was devastated by the loss of the poet, to whom he had dedicated a note in 1867: "I esteem and venerate you as much as one can esteem and venerate on this earth, both as a man and as the embodiment of the true honor of our tormented homeland." Thus, the republican composer wrote to his publisher the very next day, "I am deeply afflicted by the death of this Great Man. Perhaps, after weighing and reflecting on my strength, I will propose something to honor his memory."
On May 22, 1874, the premiere of the Messa da Requiem took place at the San Marco church in Milan, a performance requiring no less than one hundred and twenty choristers, one hundred instrumentalists, and a vocal quartet, all under Verdi's demanding baton. While the majority of critics and the public seemed to appreciate Verdi's work, some criticized him for using musical language typical of opera for a religious work, comparing his Requiem to an "opera of the dead."
However, this theatricality delighted some, such as Bizet: "when a passionate, violent, even brutal temperament like Verdi gives art a living and strong work, kneaded with gold and mud, with bile and blood, let us not coldly say to him: 'But, dear Sir, it lacks taste, it is not distinguished!' Are Michelangelo, Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Beethoven, Cervantes, and Rabelais distinguished?"

Hélios

Dynamic and eclectic, the Hélios orchestra has established itself since its creation in 2014.
Its artistic director, Paul Savalle, encourages the professional integration of young musicians through orchestral practice. Thus, young graduates mingle with experienced orchestral musicians, conductors, and soloists in optimal working conditions.
From Baroque music to contemporary music, the programs are varied. As for the repertoire, it is both symphonic and choral, with the orchestra partnering with departmental and regional choirs.
Thanks to the collaboration of different conductors, the musicians approach a very rich repertoire by broadening their range of interpretation. They all come from major French conservatories, with some belonging to a national orchestra.
From a string quartet to a symphony orchestra, to a brass ensemble, the orchestra is constantly expanding its audience by modulating its composition. The "strings" group performs in picturesque places that could not accommodate a symphony orchestra, which allows the public to discover a very rich architectural heritage.
In short, thanks to its variable geometry, the Hélios orchestra approaches the broadest repertoire with passionate curiosity.