Les Traversées Baroques

Based in Dijon, Les Traversées Baroques, an ensemble led by Judith Pacquier and Etienne Meyer, explore original Baroque repertoires. Their musical journey starts in Italy, the birthplace of new musical style in the 17th century, and follows its extensive influence throughout Europe in works not only by Claudio Monteverdi, its spiritual father, but also by Barbara Strozzi, Kaspar Förster, Marcin Mielczewski, Giovanni Gabrieli, Bonaventura Aliotti, Giovanni Bassano, and many others.

The ensemble has been regularly invited to prestigious venues such as Les 2 Scènes, Arsenal de Metz, the International Festival of Sarrebourg, the Ambronay Festival, the Music and Memory Festival, the Haut-Jura Festival, Opéra de Saint-Etienne, Opéra de Dijon, Théâtre de Beaune, and Espace des Arts, and has performed on the international scene: in Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Cuba, and Norway. Embracing opera, Les Traversées Baroques have reconstructed the intermediates of La Pellegrina (2014, dir. A. Linos) and Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo (2016, dir. Y. Lenoir). 

They have recorded four discs dedicated to Polish music (published under the label K617). Their next album, focused on Gabrieli and Bassano, was released in 2018 (ACCENT), receiving acclaim from both national and international critics (ffff Télérama, 5 de Diapason, Resmusica, Le Choix de France Musique, nominations at the International Classical Music Awards). Their sixth disc, centered on Bonaventura Aliotti’s work Il trionfo della morte was released in April 2020. Etienne Meyer, ensemble’s musical director, also a composer passionate about cinema, has created music for cine-concerts, using the rich sounds of ancient instruments in a modern language. This fusion resulted in live music performances of Pat a Mat (2013), Le Criquet (2014), The Wind (2017), and Le Ballon Rouge (2018). 

——————- 

Les Traversées Baroques receive support from the Ministry of Culture (DRAC Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) for music and vocal ensembles, the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, the Departmental Council of Côte-d’Or, and the City of Dijon (under agreement).