Following the huge success of 'Bellérophon', 'Phaéton' and 'Amadis', Aparté presents the highly-awaited rediscovery of 'Armide' by Les Talens Lyriques and Christophe Rousset, served by an impeccable cast, as the grand finale of their Lully recordings. 'Armide' is in the form of a tragédie en musique, a genre invented by Lully and Quinault, and was their last collaboration. It was a new form of opera that combined elements of classical French drama with ballet, French song and a new form of recitative. Critics in the 18th century regarded 'Armide' as Lully's masterpiece and it continues to be well-regarded, featuring some of the best-known music in French baroque opera and being arguably ahead of its time in its psychological interest. The subject, chosen for Lully by King Louis XIV, is the enchantress Armide’s unhappy love for the knight Renaud, drawn from Tasso’s 'Gerusalemme liberata'. Chœur de Chambre de Namur, Les Talens Lyriques Christophe Rousset Cyril Auvity, Marie-Claude Henry, Antonio Figueroa, Marie-Claude Chappuis, Douglas Williams, Emiliano Gonzalez Toro, Etienne Bazola, Judith van Wanroij, Marie-Adeline Henry, Marc Mauillon