Classical music: Les Arts Florissants - Kilkenny Arts Festival
Amid a proliferation of period instrument ensembles, Les Arts Florissants retain a distinguished position. Taking their title from a Charpentier opera, they have built a reputation as exponents sans pareil of French Baroque operatic repertoire and are credited with spearheading the renaissance of the genre in France — quite an achievement for an ensemble with an expat American at the helm.
Their return with revered founding director William Christie to headline Kilkenny Arts Festival after a gap of two decades was keenly anticipated.
