In the wake of Grétry’s Barbe-Bleue, the CMBV and the Orkester Nord directed by Martin Wåhlberg pursue their exploration of late 18^th century opera. Ernelinde princesse de Norvège seemed an obvious choice for a Norwegian ensemble, but more than that – its remarkably fine score inspired a new challenge for our partnership. A Study Day conducted in 2021 revealed its astonishing richness. Ernelinde princesse de Norvège was considered extremely modern at the time, paving the way for Gluck and a new style of French opera under Louis XVI. The music contains strains of Pergolese and other Italian masters. The drama comprised a mere three acts, featuring both virtuoso and heroic vocal scores and delightful ballet sequences. The combination made Philidor’s score extremely unusual in its time. It provided the CMBV an opportunity to examine contemporary performance techniques and shed light on the pivotal shift from Baroque to French classical music.