Vivaldi Concert: Magnificat and Gloria at Le Vigan Festival

The Orchestre de Chambre de Toulouse and the Chœurs de l’Abbaye de Sylvanès will perform Vivaldi’s Magnificat and Gloria at St-Pierre Church in Le Vigan on Thursday, August 13, at 9:30 p.m., according to local concert announcements. The performance brings together professional instrumentalists and vocal soloists under the musical direction of Michel Piquemal.

Performers and Program Details for the Le Vigan Concert

The August 13 concert features soprano soloist Éva Plouvier and alto soloist Gaëlle Mallada alongside organist Nobuyoshi Shima. According to event organizers, the performance unites the Orchestre de Chambre de Toulouse with the Chœurs de l’Abbaye de Sylvanès to execute Antonio Vivaldi’s sacred choral works.

The Chœur de la 37e académie forms part of an ongoing collaborative project established in 1990. The initiative pairs amateur chorists with professional soloists and instrumentalists to study and perform major choral works from the sacred repertoire through intensive vocal technique and interpretation workshops.

History and Leadership of the Orchestre de Chambre de Toulouse

Founded in 1953 by Louis Auriacombe, the Orchestre de Chambre de Toulouse performs more than 150 concerts annually, covering a repertoire that spans from the Baroque era to contemporary music. Since 2004, the ensemble has operated as a production cooperative company (Scop). Violin virtuoso, composer, and conductor Gilles Colliard currently leads the orchestra.

Conductor Michel Piquemal’s Musical Background

Michel Piquemal began his formal musical education at the Boulogne Conservatory after encouragement from Paris teacher Françoise Deslogères, who later recommended him for the Radio France maîtrise due to the strength of his voice. In December 1960, at age 14, Piquemal was selected from the Radio France student body to sing L’enfant à l’étoile alongside Gilbert Bécaud under the direction of Georges Prêtre, in a performance broadcast on French television.

In 1978, Piquemal established the Ensemble vocal Michel Piquemal, a professional choir created to perform works by contemporary composers including François Vercken, Roger Calmel, Jacques Castérède, Kamillo Lendvay, Marcel Landowski, Jean Guillou, and Jean-Louis Florentz. The ensemble also serves as a recording chorus for Piquemal’s baritone performances while supporting his ongoing development in choral conducting.

Concert Logistics and Practical Information