Messa di Gloria Puccini, Overture of The Marriage of Figaro

Hélios Orchestra/ Hélios Ephémère Choir
Conductor Mathieu Cabanes

Messa di Gloria Puccini 

The Messa di Gloria is a sacred work composed by Giacomo Puccini in 1880, while he was still a student at the Lucca Conservatory. Although it is called a Mass, it actually comprises the five traditional parts of the Ordinary of the Mass: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei (the Benedictus being integrated into the Sanctus). The work blends lyrical and dramatic vocal writing, already foreshadowing the operatic style for which Puccini would become famous.
Written for choir, orchestra, tenor, and baritone soloists, the Messa di Gloria combines liturgical tradition with Romantic expressiveness. It demonstrates Puccini's early mastery of orchestral and vocal writing and suggests his future as a great opera composer.

Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Mozart

The Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492), composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1786, is a brilliant and playful orchestral piece that opens one of his most famous operas. Written in a lively tempo (Allegro), this overture contains none of the themes of the opera itself, but perfectly captures its spirit: vivacity, playfulness, lightness, and underlying tension. It is characterized by short motifs, constant energy, and precise orchestration that ideally set the mood for Beaumarchais' comedy adapted by Da Ponte.


Dynamic and eclectic, the Hélios Orchestra has established itself since its creation in 2014.

Its artistic director, Paul Savalle, promotes the professional integration of young musicians through orchestral practice. Thus, young graduates mingle with orchestral musicians, conductors, and experienced soloists in optimal working conditions.

The programs range from Baroque to contemporary music. The repertoire is both symphonic and choral, with the orchestra partnering with departmental and regional choirs.
 
Through the collaboration of various conductors, the musicians tackle a very rich repertoire while broadening their interpretive range. They all come from the major French conservatories, some belonging to a national orchestra.

From the string quartet to the symphony orchestra, including the brass ensemble, the orchestra always broadens its audience by modulating its composition. The "strings" ensemble performs in picturesque locations that could not accommodate a symphony orchestra, allowing the public to discover a very rich architectural heritage.

In short, thanks to its variable geometry formation, the Hélios orchestra approaches a broader repertoire with passionate curiosity.

Program and cast