OAE, Original Scores: Moliere’s 'Le Malade Imaginaire', Sam Wanamaker Theatre

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment have established a reputation for themselves as the intrepid explorers of classical music, and this concert sees them adventuring off the beaten track once again. The French Baroque composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier is chiefly remembered for his sacred compositions, but the OAE delve into his incidental music for Molière’s La Malade Imaginaire. A charming selection of songs, dances, and other orchestral composition.

A prolific composer who wrote in numerous genres, Charpentier was greatly admired across France and beyond. However, during his lifetime and for centuries afterwards, his career was overshadowed for that of his contemporary Jean-Philippe Lully. The two rivals even shared playwrights: after he argued with Lully, Molière (considered one of the greatest comic writers) collaborated with Charpentier on The Imaginary Invalid. The three-act comédie-ballet is centred on Argan, a severe hypochondriac, and the relationships of those around him. 

Charpentier’s music fuses graceful and tuneful melodies with infectious rhythms. His music is at once vibrant and fleet of foot, firm and elegant, with colourful orchestration and joyous instrumental writing. His dances are unmannered, yet buoyant and finely crafted; his songs capture the emotional content of the situation while allowing the singer to display their skill.

The period instruments of the OAE are ideal to bring this music to life. The ensemble’s energy is infectious and their experimental approach a breath of fresh air, meaning that every performance is unpredictable and unforgettable. Don’t miss the chance to hear some rarely-heard repertoire by a wrongly neglected Baroque composer as the OAE make their debut performance in the Globe's candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. The venue is itself a beautiful period reconstruction of a seventeenth century theatre: the perfect setting to explore Baroque music.