13-CD Box - 333 Songs - 13 Unpublished Songs - 31 Premiere Recordings

ATMA Classique and Festival Classica are very pleased to present the largest lyric cycle ever undertaken in Canada: a 13-CD set of the complete mélodies by the prolific French composer Jules Massenet (1842-1912).

This box set also represents one of the most ambitious projects devoted to French mélodie in the history of modern recording.

Under the artistic direction of baritone Marc Boucher, who is also featured as a singer, the project brings together some of Quebec's most beautiful voices: Karina Gauvin, Anna-Sophie Neher, Magali Simard-Galdès, Julie Boulianne, Florence Bourget, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Michèle Losier, Frédéric Antoun, Antoine Bélanger, Antonio Figueroa, Joé Lampron-Dandonneau, Éric Laporte, Hugo Laporte, Emmanuel Hasler accompanied by Olivier Godin on a historical Érard piano (1854).

In the hands of Olivier Godin, the piano part is pivotal and ever-present throughout this monumental undertaking. Other instrumentalists include cellist Stéphane Tétreault, violinist Antoine Bareil, guitarist David Jacques and harpist Valérie Milot. ATMA Classique founder Johanne Goyette assumes the role of recording producer.

Massenet's music is performed on an 1854 Érard concert grand piano tuned to 435Hz, the standard pitch decreed by an 1859 law in Paris. The aesthetics, mechanics, and sound of this exceptional instrument add great distinction to the project.