Christophe Rousset is a French harpsichordist and conductor, who specializes in the performance of Baroque music on period instruments. He is also a musicologist, particularly of opera and European music of the 17th and 18th centuries and is the founder of the French music ensemble Les Talens Lyriques.
Rousset in 2012
Historically informed performance
Historically informed performance is an approach to the performance of classical music, which aims to be faithful to the approach, manner and style of the musical era in which a work was originally conceived.
Performance on period instruments is a key aspect of HIP, such as this baroque orchestra (Photo: Josetxu Obregón and the Spanish ensemble La Ritirata, 2013).
Historical collections of preserved instruments help researchers (St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh)
A Viola da gamba by Thomas Cole (c. 1680)
Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, accompanied by Christina Pluhar in 2011 (theorbo)