Philippe Jaroussky

The exceptional clarity of the French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky’s voice, and his ability to sing florid passages with pinpoint accuracy, have made him highly sought after on the early-music circuit. Jaroussky, born just outside Paris in 1978, came late to singing, training as a violinist until the age of 18. He made his professional debut at 21 singing an oratorio by Baroque composer Alessandro Scarlatti. Although he has made acclaimed recordings of popular composers like Handel and Vivaldi, Jaroussky has consistently sought out lesser-known Baroque music to include on his albums and live in concert: Vinci, Cavalli, Porpora and Caldara all feature in his catalogue. He has also ventured into music from later periods, with more recent work including the 2012 premiere of Caravaggio, an opera by contemporary composer Suzanne Giraud, and Green, a 2015 double album of Paul Verlaine poetry set to music by Debussy, Fauré, Hahn and others.