William Christie: At 80, He Continues to Shape the Period-Instrument Movement

William Christie, a celebrated conductor known for Baroque Performances recalled a telephone conversation from Nikolaus Lehnhoff in 2014, one year prior to the German director’s passing.

I believe a 'Tristan' featuring Christie would make for something truly remarkable," Christie remembered Lehnhoff referring to Wagner’s opera. "I responded, 'That sounds like a terrible jest.' I told him, 'Entering such an environment would feel akin to stepping into the ring as a weak and inexperienced fighter who barely understands boxing; someone completely clueless about the whole situation. I'd end up utterly destroyed.'

During the season marking his 80th birthday last December 14, Christie remains without Wagner He remains just as occupied as always, leading the historically informed performance practice movement. Besides conducting and performing on the harpsichord, he manages his ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, and teaches at The Juilliard School.

Director Peter Sellars commented, "He consistently contributed his distinctive style and authority." He added, "For a particular period, he acted as the head chef. If you examine the lineup from all of his initial albums, everyone who made an impact passed through his training ground."

Christie's 2024-25 season encompassed an impressive Robert Carsen production of Rameau’s "Les Fêtes d'Hébé (The Festivities of Hebe)" at Paris' Opéra-Comique. The performance shifted the setting from 1739 to a modern-day Élysée Palace and showcased the French The national football squad is seen rejoicing amidst a dance performance, which then transitions to a final scene aboard a sightseeing vessel cruising along the Seine River with the luminous Eiffel Tower in view.

I enjoy blending visual elements from different eras with musical ones," Christie explained. "I believe I stay true and loyal to what makes my music expressive: using antique instruments and adhering faithfully, as I see it, to historical performance techniques.

Teaching the next generation

Christie has emerged as a respected senior figure within the movement dedicated to reviving 17th and 18th-century performance techniques. Starting from 2007, he has been sharing his insights into Baroque articulation, restrained vibrato, and lower pitches with Juilliard students.

They go through approximately eight to fifteen different conductors each year, and my opinion varies; some I respect, others seem to be following trends merely because it's popular, and they're people I wouldn't have chosen," he stated. "For instance, some hold rather peculiar views regarding French compositions. So, what I aim to tell them is this: I'm here primarily because when it comes to specific repertoire, I possess superior insights compared to their individual perspectives, and I believe I can convince them.

In 1979, he established Les Arts Florissants with the aim of sharing insights he believed were being overlooked. When directing Charpentier’s "Médée" at the Palais Garnier earlier this year, he utilized his ensemble for the performance.

"I've collaborated with ensembles that left me feeling absolutely terrible," he stated. "Orchestras specialising in Baroque music aren’t like those of Sergei Prokofiev or Dmitri Shostakovich; they differ from Ravel’s ensemble as well as Korngold’s." However, contemporary orchestras performing Mozart Sometimes they are hideous." He further notes that someone "dug holes six feet deep and buried Mozart.

Emmanuel Reshe-Caserta, who has been the concertmaster of Les Arts Florissants since 2017, was undecided between pursuing music, delving into political science, or shifting towards art history until he met Christie at Juilliard.

If I can achieve this level of passion in the music he’s requesting, I would be devoted to it entirely," he stated. "His innate charm really left an impression on me. When he steps into the concert hall or practice space, our performance changes as we strive to impress him.

In 2002, Christie established Le Jardin des Voix (Garden of Voices). In 2015, Lea Desandre became part of this institution and has since grown into a renowned mezzo-soprano.

“She mentioned, ‘He is an excellent instructor due to his extensive knowledge and vast reading habits.’ She also noted, ‘It feels as though he will place me in a very comforting position, even if this might be outside my comfort zone.’”

First encounter as child

Christie was raised in Williamsville, which is close to Buffalo. New York , followed by South Wales. When he was five years old, his mother, Ida, organized piano lessons for him and led the choir at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

And thus, during my formative years between seven and eight, I encountered the music of Bach, Handel, Purcell, and Orlando Gibbons; our repertoire included 19th-century hymns," he recalled. "My upbringing was somewhat unusual as I also engaged in various sporting activities, with summers often spent by the lakeside. Yet even then, I possessed an exceptional awareness of another realm.

When Christie was around nine or ten years old, his mother and grandmother, Julia, brought him to see Handel’s "Messiah" performed by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at the Kleinhans Music Hall. The performance was conducted by Josef Krips, with Squire Haskins playing the harpsichord.

He (Haskin) was part of these amusing gatherings of artistic individuals in the cultural hinterlands such as rural New York and upstate New York," Christie mentioned. "It was a significant moment for me to listen to an instrument that would become central to my life.

Christie began taking piano lessons at the age of 12 under the guidance of Laura Kelsey. His mother was employed at the music store Denton, Cottier & Daniels, and in 1952, he developed a keen interest in an Erato recording featuring French harpsichordist Laurence Boulay alongside soprano Nadine Sautereau performing works by François Couperin.

"It kind of transformed my life," he stated.

Moving to Europe

In 1966, Christie earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and subsequently obtained a master’s from Yale in 1969. After teaching at Dartmouth College, he relocated to Europe during autumn 1970 as an alternative to being drafted into the US military. In 1985, he purchased a home in the village of Thiré located in France’s Loire region—where he developed a magnificent garden and established a singing academy. He became a naturalized citizen of France in 1995.

Christie enjoys music that isn't associated with him. He refers to this as his "secret life," which involves performing Liszt’s "Transcendental Études" or pieces by Schubert. However, these performances aren't meant for public consumption.

I reflect on my actions and consider what I might do differently," he mused, "yet I lack the courage to declare that in the 2028 season, William Christie will embrace recycling and begin with Haydn, culminating perhaps with Dvořák? Or why not venture into Bruckner’s motets?

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