Know the codes to be able to move with ease

To make the new with the old could be his credo. That he directed Monteverdi, Bach or Mozart, René Jacobs gives the impression of having everything just left the composer and collected his instructions to hot. Also his reading of "The Orfeo", the "Christmas Oratorio" or "Cosi fan tutte" reach a rare eloquence. But to revive the old partitions, do not hesitate to bullying tradition, at the risk of surprise, or even to bother. The conductor wants to make contemporary art of the past and not view it as a fragile piece of Museum. This scholarship and imagination are essential. For his recording of "The flute magic", Mozart, which appears to be these days, the Belgian leader has redesigned the tempo of each air and designed intermediate dialogues as the elements of a radio drama. "I did not want that the listener might be tempted to use the remote control to listen only to the music." Because the text is important. "In this opera, spoken (in German) and not half-sung (in Italian) dialogues as are traditional recitatives, spend more for tunnels for moments of drama. However, alone advance action and allow to understand the issues. To make it attractive and dynamic to the regards, René Jacobs integrated them in a worthy of fantastic cinema soundtrack: shots of Thunder, songs of birds, water runoff, interventions of the pianoforte and Orchestra.

Narrative power

"It must be that there is a real pleasure to the ear and do not be afraid to use modern effects.". In the 18th century, Chief ran from his keyboard, not on a stage. I can't believe that Mozart remained idle during all the time that lasted the dialogues. "This new record is not only, it is questioned, for this sound package. A unique narrative power is there felt, able to move all unchacun.

"Created in a theatre of the Viennese suburbs,"The magic flute"addressed to a popular audience as well as individuals aware of the ideas of Freemasonry and the enlightenment." Mozart then please to demonstrate that it can make and adapt his music to each character. A oiseleur Papageno, simple but sympathetic character, he entrusted rather easy tunes. Sarastro and his priests, he reserves a music more beautiful and more sophisticated. "Told with such intelligence, this love story punctuated by initiation rites (Mozart was a Freemason), distributed among temples, forests and mountains on background of combat between (Sarastro) light and darkness (the Queen of the night) became exciting from beginning to end.

"This booklet, much better that some want to believe, is a stunning news by its message against religious extremism", says René Jacobs. The rise by education, wisdom through knowledge are eternal values that vehicle this singular Opera...

The news of Mozart and Monteverdi, the artist put paradoxically highlight it by approaching closer to the original sources. After hundreds of hours spent in libraries consult treaties and documents of time, he is fluent in the language of the composers and may even borrow them the pen to write the ornaments of the singers or render a missing part. A sixty-four years, René Jacobs is required as one of the most exciting players of classical repertoire - especially the 17th number, outside which he rarely adventure. Who could believe that this old boy singing of Gregorian chant and the Bach in the master of the Cathedral of Saint Bavo in Ghent, his hometown, would become an artist so challenging, always ready to fight the ideas

Haro on the post-wagnériens

First is the voice that he developed his musical talent. The boy mezzo-soprano becomes tenor in adulthood. By attending courses of countertenor Alfred Deller, he discovered that male acute voice it can also work. He quickly crosses the route of the pioneers of the baroque revival, the brothers Kuijken, Gustav Leonhardt, Ton Koopman, William Christie, and is passionate about French music. Then he discovered the Venetian Opera, which will be the known as the early 1980s: Monteverdi, Cavalli, Cesti. A universe that pleases by his imagination, his Shakespearean mixture of comedy and drama, and the freedom that it leaves the interpreters.

Freedom and control, this is how to summarize the art of René Jacobs. Know the codes to be able to move with ease. And it is from this Venetian Opera, which shares its coclass and irreverent tone with the commedia dell'arte, and baroque Opera that the Belgian Chief who Mozart. The 18th century to its truth and not reviewed by the Wagner's 19th century, to which he attributes the tempos slow and a general increase. "Eighty percent of the music industry is made up of post-wagnériens". Will the singers be condemned to scream for more powerful orchestras

Musical life also suffers from dysfunction of the operas. "Their leaders choose first Director, often a name in fashion." Then the head, forced to comply with the wishes of the first. Which often leads to inconsistencies between the plateau and the pit. Do not forget that the librettist is the first composer. It gives a rhythm that music must illustrate. It already provides guidance of game. This is why head and Director must work from the early days.

Dramatic force

Celebrated on the main European stages (Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Aix-en-Provence or Brussels), Director of the festival of Innsbruck from 1997 to 2009, considered as one of the safest view on the old directory, René Jacobs regrets however the excitement of years past. "Theatre directors fear of not completing their room and stays within the known names", laments that did so much for the recognition of the Italian repertoire of the 17th century, of the German baroque Opera (Keiser, Telemann) and advocates an if neglected Alessandro Scarlatti.

"The baroque scene is limited too often to Handel and Vivaldi. The one and the other have composed works easy to listen to, exhilarating their virtuosity, but dramatically low. "The dramatic force is at the heart of the work of René Jacobs. Just listen to the famous symphonies No. 40 and no. 41 of Mozart under his leadership to be convinced. "Early instruments I can rebalance the strings and winds." I am trying to awaken the public! "Of the unthinkable with the too heard. Even better than the new with the old.