Leonardo García Alarcón
Musician, Conductor, Composer
Holder of Swiss and Argentine dual nationality, Leonardo García Alarcón is invited by the greatest musical and operatic institutions, from the Paris Opera to the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid and the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the city where he had his first experiences.
Pathway
Most celebrated conductors of baroque music.
After studying piano in Argentina, Leonardo García Alarcón settled in Europe in 1997 and joined the Geneva Conservatoire in the harpsichord class of Christiane Jaccottet. It was through Gabriel Garrido, notably, that he then launched into the world of Baroque music and conducting.
In a few years, Leonardo García Alarcón has become one of the most acclaimed conductors in Baroque music, particularly thanks to his highly remarkable concert creations. He divides his time between Geneva, France, Belgium and his native South America, creating a form of geographical eclecticism that corresponds to his repertoire.
As a conductor or harpsichordist, he is invited to festivals and concert halls worldwide. He is a regular guest of the Violons du Roy in Canada, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France and the Gulbenkian Orchestra. He was recognized as the best conductor at the 2019 Forum Opéra Awards, especially after his triumphant direction of the Indes Galantes at the Opéra Bastille.
Key Dates
He also founded in Belgium the Millenium Orchestra to accompany the Chamber Choir of Namur. He has been the conductor of the choir since 2010, which is recognized as one of the best baroque choral ensembles today.
2014Composer, Creation
Leonardo García Alarcón and creation
With a taste and a vocation for bringing back to life lesser-known works by Sacrati, Draghi, Falvetti, and D’India, he is responsible for the rediscovery of numerous operas by Cavalli such as Eliogabalo in 2016 at the Paris Opera, Il Giasone in Geneva, and Erismena at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 2017. At the Dijon Opera, he rewrote the music of the missing third act of Antonio Draghi’s El Prometeo in 2018. In 2019, he recreated Francesco Sacrati’s La Finta Pazza, and in December 2020, Luigi Rossi’s Il Palazzo Incantato.
In 2022, he will conduct Lully’s Atys, staged and choreographed by Angelin Preljocaj in Geneva and Versailles. Shortly after, he will conduct Bach’s Passion according to St. Matthew at the Dijon auditorium. Leonardo García Alarcón will create an oratorio entirely of his own making in September 2022 in Ambronay and Geneva: La Passione di Gesù, overo Il Vangelo di Giuda.
Musical Direction
Leonardo García Alarcón
Discography
Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.
A unanimously acclaimed prolific discography is worth noting.
Some notable recent recordings include Draghi’s El Prometeo in 2020, followed shortly by Handel’s Samson with the Millenium Orchestra and Chœur de Chambre de Namur. In 2021, several recordings were made during lockdown, including Rebirth (Sony classical) with Sonya Yoncheva, Lamenti & Sospiri (Ricercar) with Mariana Flores and Julie Roset, L’Orfeo by Monteverdi (Alpha classics) with Valerio Contaldo, and Bach before Bach (Alpha classics) with violinist Chouchane Siranossian and cellist Bálazs Máté. In 2022, Handel’s Semele with the Millenium Orchestra and Chœur de chambre de Namur (Ricercar) was released, along with the world premiere recording of Sacrati’s La Finta Pazza (Château Versailles Spectacles) and a recital by Julie Roset featuring works by Handel.
Leonardo García Alarcón is a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.
