Portraits de la Folie Stéphanie d'Oustrac, Ensemble Amarillis & Héloïse Gaillard

• Reinhard Keiser (1674 - 1739): Der lächerliche Printz Jodelet:
• 1 Der lächerliche Printz Jodelet: Sinfonia 02:14
• André Campra (1660 - 1744): Les Fêtes vénitiennes:
• 2 Les Fêtes vénitiennes: Air de la Folie "Accourez hâtez-vous" 01:32
• André Cardinal Destouches (1672 - 1749): Sémélé:
• 3 Sémélé: Ne cesse point de m'enflammer 02:35
• Marin Marais (1656 - 1728): Sémélé:
• 4 Sémélé: Descendez cher amant 02:35
• André Cardinal Destouches: Sémélé:
• 5 Sémélé: Aussitôt le bruit du tonnerre. Est-il un destin plus heureux 03:50
• Johann David Heinichen (1683 - 1729): Concerto in G Major, S. 214:
• 6 Concerto in G Major, S. 214: I. Vivace 02:40
• 7 Concerto in G Major, S. 214: II. Largo 01:52
• 8 Concerto in G Major, S. 214: III. Allegro 03:23
• Henry Purcell (1659 - 1695):
• 9 From silent shades and the Elysian groves, Z. 370 04:39
• John Eccles (1903 - 1997):
• 10 Ground in F Minor 02:15
• Henry Purcell: Don Quixote, Z. 578:
• 11 Don Quixote, Z. 578: From Rosie Bow'rs 06:07
• Georg Friedrich Händel (1685 - 1759): Ah, crudel! nel pianto mio, HWV. 78:
• 12 Ah, crudel! nel pianto mio, HWV. 78: Sinfonia 07:58
• 13 Ah, crudel! nel pianto mio, HWV. 78: Adagio. Aria "Ah! crudel nel pianto moi" 04:40
• 14 Ah, crudel! nel pianto mio, HWV. 78: Recitativo "Non sdegnerai d'amar chi t'ama tanto" 00:43
• 15 Ah, crudel! nel pianto mio, HWV. 78: Aria "Di quel bel ch'il ti diede" 04:11
• 16 Ah, crudel! nel pianto mio, HWV. 78: Recitativo "Balena il cielo e il turbine che passa" 01:39
• 17 Ah, crudel! nel pianto mio, HWV. 78: Aria "Per trofei di mia costanza" 06:29
• Marin Marais: Suite No. 5, Pièces en trio pour les Flûtes, Violons & Dessus de Viole:
• 18 Suite No. 5, Pièces en trio pour les Flûtes, Violons & Dessus de Viole: Caprice in E Minor 03:02
• André Cardinal Destouches: Le Carnaval et la Folie:
• 19 Le Carnaval et la Folie: Air de la Folie "Abandonnons le soin du monde" 01:34
• Jean-Féry Rebel (1666 - 1747): Les élémens:
• 20 Les élémens: Air pour l'Amour. Rondeau 00:59
• André Cardinal Destouches: Le Carnaval et la Folie:
• 21 Le Carnaval et la Folie: Gavotte en rondeau. Air de la Folie "Souffrez que l'Amour vous lie" 02:10
• Total Runtime 01:07:07

Info for Portraits de la Folie

Having been relegated to a moral space of exclusion and fear in the Middle Ages, madness subsequently became a major social phenomenon: brought under control and personified as ‘Folly’ in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it provided scope for social and moral criticism, leading composers and librettists to give it a prominent place on the operatic stage. Here Stéphanie d’Oustrac and the Amarillis Ensemble present its multiple facets, from seduction to passionate love, from despair to joy, revealing the underlying truths of humanity in the Baroque era.

Stephanie d'Oustrac, mezzo-soprano
Ensemble Amarillis
Heloise Gaillard, conductor

Stéphanie d'Oustrac
It was in Rennes in Brittany that the future great Mezzo Soprano Stéphanie d'Oustrac was born, on June 27th 19 ... shh ;-) ​

Her family tree contains two great French composers. Stéphanie is indeed the great grand niece of the composers Francis Poulenc and Jacques de La Presle. Stéphanie doesn't boast about it, but she honours her illustrious ancestors by performing their works, whether it be "La Voix Humaine" by Poulenc or "Nocturne" and "Dedette" by Presle. ​

Despite her shyness and asthma, Stéphanie started singing from an early age. One of her most important encounters was with Jean-Michel Noël, director of the choir the “Masters of Brittany”. When she was a teenager she successfully auditioned at the Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Rennes. One of her classmates, was the now famous Yann Tiersen. Her first vocation was the theatre, but the movie "Yentl" with Barbara Streisand was a revelation as she discovered that it was possible to sing and act at the same time. But it was the recital of the mezzo soprano Teresa Berganza that changed her mind and led her naturally to the Opera where she could use all her talents. ​

After her baccalaureate she joined the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Lyon. In 1998, she won the conservatory's first prize with an air of Haendel's Ariodante, Rosine from Rossini's Barbier de Séville, Poulenc's La Dame de Monte-Carlo, and a contemporary piece by Gilbert Amy's clarinet. ​

One of the most beautiful encounters of her career was with William Christie, director of the “Arts Florissants”. He engaged her at the Baroque Academy of Ambronay for the role of Médée in Thésée by Lully. She often crosses paths with William on the road and remains faithful to the Ambronay Academy where she records her CDs. ​

From 1998 to 2002 she played a number of challenging second roles that enabled her to perfect her acting and singing. She was very quickly offered the leading roles in Les Paladins by Jean-Philippe Rameau, Médée by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Armide and Atys by Lully, La Périchole, La Belle Hélène .... ​

Stephanie was for a long time associated with Baroque Opera, but her talent allowed her to perform in productions such as: Didon et Enée by Purcell with the Arts Florissants, L’Etoile by Chabrier, Jacques Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Bizet's Carmen in Lille in 2010, Ravel's L'Heure Espagnole, Haendel's Theodora, Béatrice and Bénédict by Berlioz, Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, and Mozart's La Clémence de Titus. ​

Stephanie likes to alternate baroque (or not) tragic heroines with more light hearted roles. Although she excels in tragedian operas she also flourishes in more joyful roles. For our greatest pleasure she has recently played Carmen (eponymous role) Sesto (La Clémence de Titus) Rosine (Le Barbier de Séville) and Charlotte (Werther) - season 2017/2018 -.... ​

Her vocal performances and her interpretations are acclaimed by the critics. Stéphanie lives her roles to the point of sometimes shedding tears on stage as in "Atys" by Lully or in Poulenc's "La Voix Humaine". Not to mention a very significant feature (surprisingly rare at the opera): her perfect diction. This is particularly appreciated by the spectators and makes her performances even more interesting and intense. Stéphanie sings in several languages but above all she loves her native French language. ​

She overflows with energy and seems as indomitable as her wild locks .... Her talent takes her all around the world, performing in operas as well as recitals. She is often accompanied by her great friend and pianist Pascal Jourdan or in concert with the ensemble Amarilis. A real globetrotter, she performs in Russia, the United States, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, China and in England at the Glyndebourne festival where she is regularly invited, and for our greatest pleasure here in France.

Stéphanie has received several prizes and awards: the Bernac Prize in 1999. In 2000 she won the Francophone Radio Competition. In 2002 a Victoire de la Musique Award "lyric revelation artist of the year" and in 2010 the Gramophone Editor's Choice for her recording of Haydn. This is just the start, there will be many more to come!

Booklet for Portraits de la Folie