What melodies echoed through the Palace of Versailles when music was inseparable from its lavish court life, theater, dancing, and the daily rituals of the royal estate? On August 28, French harpsichordist Olivier Baumont, one of France’s most prominent early music performers and researchers, invites you to step into this world at Paliesius Manor. The program will transport listeners to 17th- and 18th-century France—a time when the harpsichord was one of the most prominent instruments of court music, its sound taking deep root in French culture.

The evening will feature works by Jean-Henry d’Anglebert, François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, and Claude Balbastre, revealing the diverse stylistic traits of the harpsichord: from delicate ornamentation and elegant dance to theatricality and virtuosity. The program will be complemented by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—a composer who visited Versailles at just eight years old, where he was introduced to the French court’s musical tradition. Thus, on August 28, we will not only paint a portrait of French music but also embark on a broader journey through an era where distinct, constantly interacting musical cultures met.

The music of this period holds a special place in Olivier’s repertoire, and his discography includes more than sixty recordings, featuring works by François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Jacques Duphly, and other French harpsichord masters. In 2014, he initiated a project to perform the complete harpsichord works of Johann Sebastian Bach, bringing together some twenty harpsichordists, and in 2018, he participated in a remarkable program of all Domenico Scarlatti’s sonatas at the “Radio France Montpellier” festival in France.

Baumont’s endeavors extend far beyond the concert stage—he is a long-standing professor of harpsichord at the National Superior Conservatory of Music and Dance of Paris, having mentored numerous harpsichordists who actively perform today. He also writes books on music and its history, participates in radio and television programs, and collaborates with theater and film creators.

“Les Plaisirs de Versailles” will invite you to hear how this world comes alive through the sound of the harpsichord: from the most subtle details to courtly theatricality and French elegance. This is an evening dedicated to the music that once echoed in Versailles, and to a performer who devotes his creative life to ensuring its history continues to resonate today.