Name: Lea Desandre «Songs of Passion»
Start: 2025-09-18T19:00:00+03:00
Location: Rīgas Kongresu nams

$Lea Desandre \u00abSongs of Passion\u00bb$

FRENCH MEZZO-SOPRANO LÉA DESANDRE — FIRST TIME IN LATVIA!
On September 18, 2025, Riga will host the long-awaited Latvian debut of one of Europe’s most captivating vocalists — French mezzo-soprano Léa Desandre. Together with Ensemble Jupiter under the direction of lutenist Thomas Dunford, she will present the acclaimed program Songs of Passion — a poetic, emotionally rich journey through English and Italian vocal music, from Dowland to Purcell. This program has already triumphed in Salzburg, Aix-en-Provence, Paris, New York, and other musical capitals around the world.
Léa Desandre is a new-generation artist — a singer, dancer, and actress. Born in Paris to a family of Italian heritage, she studied both voice and ballet from an early age. Her training at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, as well as her participation in the Aix-en-Provence Academy and Jardin des Voix under the guidance of William Christie, marked the beginning of a remarkable international career. Today, she performs on the world’s leading stages — from the Paris Opera, La Scala, and Vienna Staatsoper to the Salzburg Festival, Glyndebourne, Teatro Real, and many others.
Desandre effortlessly bridges styles and eras. Her repertoire spans operas by Handel, Berlioz, Britten, Monteverdi, Offenbach, and Pergolesi. Among her most celebrated stage roles are the title parts in Orfeo ed Euridice, Dido and Aeneas, and La Périchole, along with innovative, cross-disciplinary productions that blend music, movement, and poetry.
A central part of her artistic life is her collaboration with Ensemble Jupiter and Thomas Dunford. Their joint program Songs of Passion has received rave reviews from both audiences and critics. As OperaWire noted: “In Desandre’s singing, the lower register gains so many undertones... a mezzo-soprano with great ease in the upper range… truly sublime.”
New York Classical Review adds: “Desandre intuitively molds her voice to the poetic texts — inward-looking at times, softly expressive at others. Her phrasing is like the movement of a butterfly.”
And Le Monde describes her as “an artist creating her own unique musical cosmos.”
Her album Amazone, released on Warner/Erato, was praised by leading publications — Gramophone, Diapason, and Le Figaro — as one of the most outstanding vocal recordings in recent years.
Léa Desandre’s Riga appearance will not only mark her debut in Latvia, but also offer an exceptional opportunity to experience one of the most original concert programs of the season. The performance with Ensemble Jupiter promises not just a refined take on baroque repertoire, but an encounter with vibrant, contemporary, and emotionally resonant artistry that transcends time and genre.