Les Siècles and Jakob Lehmann Bring Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust to the Proms

Quick Brief
Conductor Jakob Lehmann made his energised Proms debut leading the period-instrument orchestra Les Siècles and massive vocal forces in a performance of Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust. The concert at the Royal Albert Hall featured the Choeur de Radio France and the Radio France children's choir. However, the venue's challenging acoustic environment occasionally obscured the sparkling details of the music.
What Happened?
Jakob Lehmann led the period-instrument orchestra Les Siècles, alongside the Choeur de Radio France and the Radio France children's choir, in a performance of Berlioz's concert drama La Damnation de Faust at London's Royal Albert Hall. The performance highlighted period textures, including chattering piccolos, silky violin swoops, and an ophicleide, though the hall's murky acoustics buried some of the musical sparkle.
Why It Matters
The performance brought rare period instrumentation and large-scale choral forces to a prominent Proms debut, showcasing historical musical textures in a classic concert setting.
Key Facts
- The performance took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
- Jakob Lehmann made his energised Proms debut conducting the concert.
- Musical forces included the period-instrument orchestra Les Siècles, the Choeur de Radio France, and the Radio France children's choir.
- Instrumentation featured historical elements like an ophicleide, an evolutionary dead end on the tuba family tree.
- The venue's murky acoustics reportedly buried some of the performance's sparkle.
Compiled from 1 outlet
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