PROGRAMMES DIARY PRESS DISCOGRAPHY VIDEOS
Founded in 1981 in Toulon by Christian MENDOZE, the Ensemble Musica Antiqua immediately stood out from other regional ensembles thanks to its dazzling debut: its first recording in 1984, which was awarded the GRAND PRIX DE L'ACADEMIE DU DISQUE in 1985 (presented by the Minister of Culture in Paris during a grand ceremony).
This spectacular achievement was the prelude to an international career:
Numerous recordings and compilations, acclaimed by the specialist press:
- SWISS RADIO INTERNATIONAL Award (Switzerland); - AWARD MUSIC EDITOR'S PICK (USA); - Recommended by CLASSICA; - Must and event of the month by COMPACT DISC MAGAZINE...
and in partnership with many renowned labels:
- VERANY (France); - CLAVES RECORDS (Switzerland); - CANTUS (Spain); - ARSIS CLASSICS (Belgium); - ACCORD (France); - CONTINUO CLASSICS (France); - POLYMNIE (France); - INDESENS CALLIOPE (France).
Hundreds of concerts at European festivals and prestigious venues, such as the SALLE GAVEAU and the Théâtre du CHATELET in Paris, as well as:
- Festival d'AIX EN PROVENCE; - Festival de l'ABBAYE DE SYLVANES; - Philharmonie de CRACOVIE; - CASA DE MATEUS Foundation in Portugal; - Château de VAUX LE VICOMTE; - VILLEVIEILLE Festival (Erato); - MIDEM DE CANNES; - Tübingen and Mannheim Festivals; - Rencontres internationales des ARTS BAROQUES (Vaucluse); - STAUFEN Festival; - Concerts in Romania; - Festivals in Switzerland (SION, RÜTI, ZÜRICH, WINTERTHUR, BRÜTTEN, UFNAU, MUSIKSOMMER AM ZÜRICHSEE, etc.); - Festivals in Austria (SANKT GEROLD); - Musical evenings at the Royal Convent of SAINT-MAXIMIN; - Festivals in Italy (ROME, TAGLIACOZZO, ARICCIA, CAMPOBASSO, LATINA, SABAUDIA, BASSANO, VICENZA); - Six-year residency at Mateus Castle in Portugal; - Concerts at the AVIGNON FESTIVAL; - Concerts in POLAND for two years (KATOWICE, NIEPOLOMIECE, STARYSAC, KRAKOW, TORUN)...
Numerous radio and television broadcasts and concerts on national and international channels:
- FRANCE 3; - TFI; - FRANCE MUSIQUE; - RADIO CLASSIQUE; - RMC; - RADIO CLASSIQUE Portugal - RADIO BRATISLAVA; - BBC LONDON; - DRS ZÜRICH; - FRANCE INTER; - RADIO TELEVISION SUISSE ROMANDE.
Finally, the ensemble also stands out for its unique repertoire in the world of entertainment, ranging from:
- trio to symphony and opera; - 16th-century music to the great frescoes of the 19th century; - from Bach, Mozart and Beethoven to rediscoveries of ancient and traditional music from Hungary, Bohemia, Poland and Transylvania; - from South American baroque music to Spanish folias;
with, of course, the appropriate instruments for each repertoire in order to respect the most obvious musicological elements.
A versatile artist and former principal dancer with the ballet companies of Avignon, Dijon, Limoges and Liège, Christian MENDOZE has performed at the famous Teatro La Fenice in Venice with solo singers from the Bayreuth Festival for 25 days. Since 1981, he has devoted himself to his orchestra while pursuing a successful career as a soloist on the recorder with CONCERTO KOLN, La Grande Écurie de Malgoire, harpsichordist Davitt Moroney, countertenor Charles Brett, violinist Edouard Melkus and other renowned artists.
He trained in orchestral conducting with conductor Giovanni BRIA of Zurich (former assistant to maestro Karl BÖHM in Bayreuth). This prestigious training has enabled him to conduct the great works of the repertoire without neglecting Baroque music.
Christian MENDOZE has created and directed several music festivals in Toulon, Callas, Avignon, Privas, Hyères and Signes, while teaching early music at the conservatories of Aix-en-Provence and Valbonne. He has invited his friends, renowned international artists, to Toulon: the soloists of the Berlin Philharmonic, Philippe Herreweghe's Royal Chapel Choir, Trevor Pinnock's English Concert, Concertokln, JC Malgoire's Grande Ecurie, and many other famous singers such as tenor Nicolai Gedda, Teresa Berganza, and Maria Bayo. MALGOIRE, and the most famous singers such as the tenor Nicolai GEDDA, Teresa BERGANZA, Maria BAYO and many others. In the 1990s, he was regularly invited to the BELVEDERE INTERNATIONAL SINGING COMPETITION in Vienna (Austria) by his friend Hans GABOR, then director of the competition, to present the City of Toulon Prize to the winner, thus establishing a genuine twinning between TOULON, VIENNA and FRANCE MUSIQUE.
Christian MENDOZE's upcoming recordings will be devoted to the great repertoire (BEETHOVEN, MOZART, BACH) on the one hand, and to the choreographic works of BRAHMS, SMETANA, DVORAK, BORODIN, etc. on the other, as well as the ancient dances of BOHEMIA and POLAND.
A return to his roots for this DANCER-CONDUCTOR with a unique career path!
BS Artist Management