What melodies echoed through the halls of Versailles when music was inseparable from the opulent life of the palace, its theater, its dances, and the daily rituals of the royal court? On August 28, French harpsichordist Olivier Baumont, one of France’s most prominent early music performers and researchers, will invite you into this world at Paliesius Manor. The program will transport us to 17th- and 18th-century France—a time when the harpsichord was one of the most prominent instruments of court music, and its sound became deeply rooted 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 subtle 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 musical traditions of the French court. 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 musical cultures met and continuously influenced one another.

Music of this period holds a special place in Olivier’s repertoire, and his discography boasts more than sixty recordings, including works by François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Jacques Duphly, and other French masters of the harpsichord. 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 magnificent program of all of Domenico Scarlatti’s sonatas at the Radio France Montpellier festival.

Baumont does not limit himself to the concert stage—he is a longtime professor of harpsichord at the Paris National Conservatory of Music and Dance, having mentored many harpsichordists who are actively performing today. He also writes books on music and its history, participates in radio and television broadcasts, and collaborates with theater and film creators.

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