THE WORK
The Oratorio de Versailles, a stage work by composer and pianist Gabriel Urgell Reyes, is rooted in the texts of the Song of Songs, a biblical book written in the form of a series of love poems, and a source of inspiration for the official composers of Louis XIV's Chapel Royal, Pierre Robert and Henry Du Mont.
Although inspired by a biblical text, this oratorio has a secular character. The work depicts the unfolding of a marriage as an allegory of mutual recognition and explores the themes of love and openness to diversity as the foundations of human cohesion. Structured in five scenes or chapters and featuring genres such as aria and recitativo, the performance is entrusted to a vocal and instrumental ensemble comprising a choir, a chamber orchestra and two solo singers (soprano, countertenor) who interact with sound diffusion devices.
The work is also a multi-disciplinary project fusing music with the visual and digital arts. This space for artistic creation draws on the classical musical tradition while remaining firmly committed to the artistic innovation of the 21st century. The show is designed to be presented as a promenade performance, notably referencing the king’s walks through the Castle gardens.
As a result, the Oratorio de Versailles not only creates a filiation with the sacred and secular music that preceded it, but also resonates directly with the vision and cultural legacy of King Louis XIV: a testimony to his own contemporaneity.
AUDIO
THE COMPOSER
Franco-Cuban pianist, composer, visual artist, artistic director and producer, Gabriel Urgell Reyes is a virtuoso who combines excellence, audacity, and promotion of diversity in his productions.
Winner of multiple competitions since the age of 10, he has been awarded numerous prizes: Diapason d'Or, Blüthner Prize, Frechilla-Zuloaga Prize, 2 nominations at the Independent Music Awards in New York, Beaumarchais-SACD Laureate...…
Trained at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris, he performs in venues and festivals such as La Roque d'Anthéron Festival, Salle Cortot, Cité de la Musique (Paris), La Filature (Mulhouse), Le Lieu Unique (Nantes), Elektricity Festival (Reims), Havana International Chamber Music Festival... and has collaborated with renowned ensembles and musicians such as Léo Brouwer, Guido López-Gavilan and the National Orchestra of Cuba, the Havana Chamber Orchestra, the Varèse Quartet, the mezzo-soprano Isabelle Druet, and the conductor Ken-David Masur.
©Ema Martins
URGELL REYES . DISCOGRAPHY
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SEMI-STAGING
HÉLOÏSE SÉRAZIN
After studying violin at the conservatory, she graduated with a Master's degree in Musicology from the Sorbonne, writing her thesis on productions of Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice, particularly Pina Bausch's. She participated in conferences and publications, including interviews for the magazine "Opéra International" (1997-2005), for which she received an award from the French Musical Observatory.
Concurrently, she studied acting, notably at the Cours Florent and with the Centre Dramatique de la Courneuve, and made her debut at the age of 20 as assistant director to Anne Kessler at the Comédie-Française.
Since 2011, she has been assistant director to Georges Lavaudant, Gilles Bouillon, Nadine Duffaut, Petrika Ionesco, Jean-Romain Vesperini, Mireille Delunsch, Marie Lambert-Le Bihan, Sandra Pocceschi, Marie-Ève Signeyrole, Laura Scozzi, Clément Cogitore (Les Indes Galantes in 2019 in Paris), Laurent Pelly, Jetske Minjssen, and has worked in numerous theatres in France and abroad: Teatro della Pergola in Florence, Semperoper Dresden, Volksoper in Vienna, Finnish National Opera and Savonlinna Opera Festival, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Greek National Opera, Bolshoi Theatre, Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille, Festival d'Aix, Chorégies d'Orange, Opéra national du Rhin, Capitole de Toulouse, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Opéra de Marseille, Avignon, Nice, Metz, Massy, Tours... She has also been a stage manager, choreographed fashion shows for the designer Corinne Duval, and worked with the Estival song festival, the Orchestre de Paris and the Orchestre de chambre de Paris, notably at the Philharmonie de Paris.
©Cyrill Cosson
In 2018, she directed the staged production of Inspirations Russes at the Boulogne Regional Conservatory, and in 2019, Hans Zender's Schuberts Winterreise at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. In 2020, she directed the project Pom Pom Pom Pom, based on Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, for the Paris Chamber Orchestra and recreated Luc Bondy's production of Yvonne, Princesse de Bourgogne at the Palais Garnier. In 2022, she conceived and directed Un Homme qui marche (A Man Who Walks), based on Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale and songs by Kurt Weill, with the Paris Chamber Orchestra and inmates from the Meaux-Chauconin Penitentiary Center at the Athénée Théâtre Louis-Jouvet. In 2023, she revived Laurent Pelly's A Trip to the Moon in Paris, Athens, and Vienna, directed Offenbach's Bluebeard at the Rennes Regional Conservatory, and L'Amour à la française in a staged version at the Opéra-Comique and as a promenade performance in the nave of the Musée d'Orsay. In 2024, she adapted Gustave Charpentier's opera Louise to create the performance and exhibition Au loin, ma ville (Far Away, My City), a project carried out with the Opéra-Comique and residents of Limay and the Yvelines region. In 2025, she directed La Clemenza di Tito with Opéra Fuoco at the Opéra de Massy, featuring sets painted by hand with set designer Léa Jézéquel. Next season, she will, among other things, design and direct two events at the Philharmonie de Paris.
Taking advantage of her travels, she photographs urban spaces with a unique perspective, exploring themes of humanity, bodily movement, fashion, and housing through various artistic and graphic techniques. In 2017, she founded La Compagnie d'Héloïse, a collective of artists from diverse backgrounds who collaborate on multifaceted creations that she invents.
THE SOLOISTS
CYRIELLE NDJIKI NYA Soprano
Cyrielle Ndjiki Nya holds a Master's degree in cultural mediation from Sorbonne University, specializing in music and dance. Her taste for opera singing was accompanied by 7 years' training as a pianist, after which the desire to develop and master her voice determined her musical orientation. Essential encounters led her to join Chantal Mathias' class at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
In 2017 Cyrielle is part of the fourth generation of the lyrical workshop "Opera Fuoco", directed by David Stern and joins, only one year later in May 2018, the distribution in Strauss's Elektra at the auditorium of the Bordeaux Opera. She also took on the role of Elettra in Mozart's Idomeneo, under the direction of Elsa Rooke in September of the same year with "Opera Fuoco" in Levallois. She met Karine Deshayes during the master class “Les plaisirs de la Seine” and played Ortlinde in Wagner's La Walkyrie at the Opera de Bordeaux, conducted by Paul Daniel. She also plays the roles of the High Priestess in Aida by Verdi and the Second lady in The Magic Flute by Mozart in Montpellier, as well as the Dama in Verdi's Macbeth at Saint Étienne in the 2022-2023 season.
Cyrielle Ndjiki Nya is a laureate of the Tarrazzi Foundation, the France Dauphin de Verna Foundation, as well as the Meyer Foundation and the Kriegelstein Fund. She is a member of the Beethoven promotion of the Academie Jaroussky and a laureate of the Fondation Orsay Royaumont.
©Capucine de Chocqueuse
Her first album, “Muses éternelles”, recorded with the support of Patrick Petit and accompanied by Kaoli Ono on piano, was published by Mirare, “Futur” collection, in 2022. She then played the role of the Mother in the revival of Justice à Saint Poelten in Austria, an opera composed by Hector Parrà and premiered at the Grand Théâtre de Genève the same year.
THÉOPHILE ALEXANDRE Contre-ténor
Revealed by J-C Malgoire in the leading role of Handel’s Orlando, Théophile ALEXANDRE has performed for the past 15 years on the most prestigious stages (Paris Philharmony, New Yok Lincoln Center, Champs-Elysées Theater, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Venice Fenice, the Opera houses of Versailles, Ottawa, Bern…) shining in baroque music (Vivaldi, Purcell, Bach, Monteverdi…), classical music (Mozart, Haydn, Gluck…) and contemporary creations (Escaich, Lavandier, Macé, Moultaka…).
With a double degree in operatic singing and contemporary dance form the CNSM of Lyon, he has collaborated with renowned conductors (W. Christie, G. Garrido, S. D’Hérin, P. Agnew, C. Grapperon, associate of L. Equilbey, M. Minkowski Louvre Musicians…) as well as prestigious choreographers (J-C Gallotta, L. Scozzi, P. Bausch Atelier, Montalvo-Hervieu…), distinguishing himself as ONE OF THE FEW ARTISTS IN THE WORLD mastering these two arts and performing them together.
Released in 2018, his debut album ADN BAROQUE has created the event by undressing baroque music in piano-voice with the concertist Guillaume VINCENT, French Music Awards Revelation. Directly n°1 when released, the album now cumulates more than 3,5 millions of streams, being one of the top selling albums of the pas 3 years, and has toured for more than 40 dates in a unique singing and dancing reinvented recital, choreograph by Gallotta, praised by more than 20 000 spectators.
In 2022, Théophile releases his 2nd album NO(S) DAMES, a genderless tribute to operas’ divas with the female string quartet ZAÏDE, redistributing for the first time the musical direction to women and ladies’ agonies to a man, to celebrate these sublime arias without perpetuating their gender clichés. NO(S) DAMES will tour in a show staged by Pierre-Emmanuel ROUSSEAU and co-produced by the Limoges Opera and Le Volcan, Le Havre National stage.
The same year, Théophile signs his first stage direction for 45 children both singers and dancers with CHILDREN of BRITTEN. He also perfoms in SHIRINE, Thierry Escaich’s new opera created in Lyon Opera, as well as in Hans Pbrahamsen ‘s first opera SNOW QUEEN in Strasbourg Opera. He also collaborates for the first time with the Castafiore System for their new choreographic opera: KANTUS for XTINCT SPECIES.
THE ENSEMBLES
ATA Project is an injunction to bond, to create ties and attachments.
Founded in 2023 by Gabriel Urgell Reyes, this musical and artistic ensemble of committed artists pushes the boundaries and connects the fields of artistic creation, proposing powerful experiences that interweave acoustic and electronic music, visual and digital arts, literature, dance...
©Ema Martins
GABRIEL URGELL
& ATA PROJECT
From the concert hall to the art gallery, from the open-air stage to the intimate living room, each performance becomes a veritable living work of art, where different artistic forms interact harmoniously.
The Ensemble is committed to building a more inclusive society.
Its actions aim to ensure cultural interaction, encourage openness to diversity and develop social ties through its unique performances.
By bringing together diverse artistic disciplines, the ensemble builds bridges between different communities, fostering mutual understanding.
Aware of the need to reduce the environmental impact of artistic productions, ATA Project is actively engaged in exploring ways of making its activities more sustainable.
RONALD MARTIN &
ENSEMBLE VEDADO
A partner of choice for the Oratorio de Versailles, under the direction of Franco-Cuban violist Ronald Martin Alonso, the Ensemble Vedado is an instrumental and vocal ensemble specializing in Baroque and contemporary music founded in 2014. The ensemble creates programs that erase the barriers of styles, eras, cultures. These programs invite audiences on a journey through time from Europe to the Americas, from classical to popular, from past to present.
©Lauren Pasche
Ensemble Vedado is a frequent guest at festivals in France: Les Grands Concerts in Lyon, Festival Baroque du Mont-Blanc... and abroad: Festival du Museo della Città di Cremona (Italy), Midi-Minimes in Brussels...
Ensemble Vedado is in residence at the former Priory of Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region of France. It is in the magnificent 14th-century church adjoining the Priory that the Ensemble carries out its recordings and creations in exceptional acoustics.
Ronald Martin Alonso is undoubtedly one of the most interesting artists on the Baroque music scene today. Winner of international chamber music competitions with Ensemble Stravaganza: Audience and Media Awards, and 3rd Prize - Premio Bonporti (Italy 2011), Prix Spécial De Graaf Unico - Van Wassnaer Competition (Netherlands 2011), he collaborates with internationally renowned ensembles such as Cappella Mediterranea, Le Poème Harmonique, Les Traversées Baroques...
FRÉDÉRIC PINEAU &
ROUEN CHAMBER CHOIR (CCR)
The Rouen Chamber Choir (CCR), created in 1986 and under the musical and artistic direction of Frédéric Pineau since July 2012, is a vocal ensemble that is demanding in soul and spirit. The choir has continued to evolve, performing a cappella or accompanied by various instrumental groups (Rouen Opera Orchestra, Normandy Regional Orchestra, Picardie-Hauts de France Orchestra, Vonderscher Jazz Trio, Café Zimmerman, Le Poème Harmonique, Orchestre National d’Ile-de-France, Ensemble la Chimera, Paris Chamber Orchestra, etc.), in sacred or secular repertoires.
Since 2012 and the arrival of Frédéric Pineau, the CCR has offered a cappella music programs from the world's various choral cultures. When concert venues allow it, the CCR likes to stage its programs in order to offer the public unique sound and visual sensations.
The CCR regularly offers programmes ranging from Renaissance to contemporary music. In recent seasons, the CCR has had the opportunity to perform its thematic programmes Soundscapes, Lux, Nordic Voices, Symphonic Gospel, America, Scandinavian Impressions, as well as the works “Cecilia vergine romana” by A. Pärt, the “9th Symphony” by L. V. Beethoven, “The Pearl Fishers” by G. Bizet, the “Harmoniemesse” by J. Haydn, the “Coronation Mass” by W. A. Mozart, “The Elixir of Love” by G. Donizetti...
The CCR is invited to many French festivals such as Automne en Normandie, Voix de Fêtes in Rouen, International Choir and Voice Festival of Abbeville, Festival of the Abbey of Epau, Biennial of vocal art of the Cité de la Musique, Fileri-Filera, Septembre Musical de l'Orne, Musical Promenades of the Pays d'Auge, the Boréales, Les Musicales de Normandie. The ensemble shines mainly throughout Normandy and has also had the opportunity to play in places such as the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Orangerie of the Château de Versailles, the Salle Pleyel and the Petit Palais in Paris, the Opera of Rouen, the Chapelle Corneille in Rouen or the Théâtre de Caen.
The CCR has also performed in England, Russia, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany, and boasts an eclectic discography, representative of the many programs it has given over the years (Janequin & Cie, Comme de Longs Echos, Requiem de Maurice Duruflé, Impressions Scandinaves, and more recently Voix Nordiques).
A passionate choir conductor and teacher, Frédéric Pineau explores the choral repertoire in all its richness, while striving to bring it to a wide range of audiences. A graduate in orchestral and choir conducting, he has studied with Catherine Simonpietri, Daniel Bargier, Frieder Bernius, Nicolas Brochot, Pierre Cao, Raphaël Pichon, Loïc Pierre and Lionel Sow.
Musical and artistic director of the Chœur de Chambre de Rouen since 2012, Frédéric Pineau created the Chœur de Jeunes de Rouen associated with the latter in 2024. He has also been conducting the Chœur d'Oratorio de Paris since 2019, and the COSU (Chœur & Orchestre Sorbonne Université) since 2020. He also conducts the Yellow Socks Choir, a variable-geometry choir specializing in film music and cinematic concerts.
This dynamic conductor is also musical and artistic director of the "Maîtrise Guillaume le Conquérant in Saint-Saëns", Normandy. As part of this rural project, he also directs and coordinates the "Pays de Bray's Academic Choral Meetings". Since 2020, alongside Vincent Dumestre, he has directed the "Ecole Harmonique - DEMOS", project linked to "Le Poème Harmonique" ensemble.
Since 2015, Frédéric Pineau has been involved in a number of projects set up by the Philharmonie de Paris: he regularly takes part in collaborative and participatory projects, and also in educational and socio-cultural projects such as the recent EVE project (Exister par la Voix Ensemble).
©Pascal Biomez
PARTNERSHIPS
