Following on from — and complementing — the experimental workshops and masterclasses, the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles is offering four days of theory classes devoted to the major themes of interpretation in the French repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries. Designed in collaboration with the CMBV research team, these days aim to explore the stylistic characteristics specific to French music of this period and to provide performers with keys to interpretation and research to enrich their approach to historically informed practice.
The aim of this final day is to introduce participants to the fundamental principles of rhetoric, declamation and Baroque gestures, and their application in musical practice. By exploring these aspects, participants will develop a deeper understanding of musical interpretation in the context of the French Baroque style, which will undoubtedly enrich their approach to performance.
Objectives
This workshop aims to introduce participants to the fundamental principles of rhetoric, declamation and Baroque gestures, as well as their application in musical practice. By exploring these aspects, participants will develop a deeper understanding of musical interpretation in the context of the French Baroque style.
The main objectives are as follows:
- Understanding the fundamentals of classical rhetoric: introduction to stylistic devices, persuasion techniques and their impact on musical interpretation, in relation to the emotions and message conveyed by the work
- Understanding musical declamation: articulation, prosody and staging of speech
- Discovering Baroque gestures: the gestural codes of the period and their importance in performance, in order to enhance expression and communication on stage
Through lectures, discussions, practical work and analysis of concrete examples, participants will be able to understand the interaction between text, music and movement, drawing on historical theoretical sources and contemporary approaches.
They will be provided with tools to enrich their musical interpretation and avenues for finding the resources necessary to pursue their research.
Trainer
Workshop coordinated by Charles Di Meglio, actor, director and artistic director (Companie Oghma)
Charles Di Meglio spent his late childhood in Southeast Asia, where he devoured theatre in all its Eastern forms. His encounter with Baroque theatre was decisive, and after training as an actor at the Paris Conservatoire, he approached this radical form with Eugène Green and founded the Oghma Company. His interest in theatre history and art history led him to focus his aesthetic and formal research on the repertoires of the 15th-17th centuries and to question the vitality of this heritage. As an actor and director, he directs and performs in most of the Compagnie Oghma's productions (nearly 20 since 2014), for which he also designs the costumes. His unique work on the 15th-17th centuries has earned him regular invitations to give masterclasses on medieval, humanist and baroque theatre at the Universities of Metz, Lausanne, Grenoble, Paris III and the CNSMD in Lyon. He will give masterclasses in baroque movement to the Academicians of the Royal Opera during the 2025-2026 season. He also exhibited some of his stage costumes at the Museum of Ancient Arts in Namur (Belgium). In addition, he directed the Institut de France's Nuit Blanche 2022, celebrating the 400th anniversary of Molière's birth, and Molière's Les Femmes savantes for the Allumeurs de Réverbères. Passionate about opera since his teenage years, he has directed five operas: La Susanna by A. Stradella (2021), Actéon by M.-A. Charpentier (2022), Didon et Enée by H. Purcell (2024) in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, Britannico by C. H. Graun (2025 — also designing the costumes), as well as a second staging of Actéon (2025) for the Palace of Versailles. In 2026, he will return to the Palace of Versailles for two productions: Le Cinesi by C. W. Gluck, in Marie-Antoinette's small theatre, and La Chasse du Cerf by J. B. Morin, in the Hall of Mirrors. Transmission is of crucial importance in his work as an actor and director. His childhood in Asia has had a profound influence on him, and he seeks to bring together the living tradition of Eastern theatre with the resurgent tradition of Baroque theatre.
Training arrangements
- In-person workshop only
- Workshop conducted in French (discussions possible in English)
- Assessment methods: self-assessment and satisfaction questionnaire
- Alternating between theory, practical exercises and discussion time (questions and answers)
Programme
- Lecture on the ‘baroque body’, eloquence and gestures
- Practical work and demonstrations of declamation based on exercises taken from the books and scores of Armide and Roland by Philippe Quinault and Jean-Baptiste Lully
- Projection and study of iconography and engravings from the period
Participants
- Musicians and performers
- Singers
- Dancers
- Open to knowledgeable amateurs, subject to availability
Maximum 20 participants
Prerequisites
- Working professionals
- Future professionals in training - currently enrolled in higher education (bachelor's, master's) or equivalent
Pricing conditions
Prices for a Theme Day (online payment via the payment link sent upon acceptance of the application):
Full price covered: depending on coverage (contact the training centre administration for a quote)
Maximum individual contribution: €100 including VAT
Maximum individual contribution for students (up to 26 years old): €40 including VAT
CMBV workshops may be covered by continuing professional development programmes (Afdas, employers, etc.) for permanent or temporary employees.
Services included in the price:
- Access to CMBV premises (and tuning of instruments, if necessary)
- Full tuition fees (instructors, instruments, etc.) for the entire duration of the course
- Active participation in workshops
- Provision of documents and sheet music
- Loan or provision of instruments, if necessary
At the expense of trainees:
- Travel expenses
- Accommodation expenses (meals and lodging)
Registration
To register, please complete the form available via the link below. You will receive confirmation of your registration no later than two months before the start of the workshop.
Accessibility
The CMBV's classrooms and teaching spaces are accessible to people with reduced mobility. If you have a disability that requires adjustments to the teaching, please specify this when you register. This information will be forwarded to the CMBV's disability officer, who will contact you to discuss possible adjustments.
Registration deadline: 4 May 2026
