After Passion, Véronique Gens reunites with Louis-Noël Bestion de Camboulas' ensemble Les Surprises to celebrate a role that is inextricably linked to French Baroque opera of the 17th and 18th centuries: the queens! "Opera queens are powerful women, often torn between duty and passion, with a fundamentally complex psychology. They display a range of emotions that correspond to the dramatic and scenic effects of the theater; above all, they require music that is alternately intense and refined," writes Benoît Dratwicki of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, a partner in this project. With Véronique Gens, one could not wish for a better embodiment of these female destinies, which were set to music by the most famous composers of the time (Rameau, Rebel, Dauvergne, Royer, Desmarest, Salomon, Stuck, Destouches, Francœur ...), many of whom have been unjustly forgotten.

Antoine Dauvergne: Tremblement de Terre aus "Polyxene"; Marche Funebre & Dieu, Grand Dieu, Sois Sensible aus "Hercule Mourant"; Sombre Deesse du Silence aus "Canente"
+Jean-Philippe Rameau: Quelle Plainte en ces Lieux M'Appelle aus "Hippolyte et Aricie"; Air Tendre & AirTres Vif aus "Dardanus"; Amour, Cruel Amour aus "Zoroastre"; Menuett aus "Acanthe et Cephise"
+Francois Francoeur: Scanderberg-Ouvertüre
+Joseph-Francois Salomon: Prete a Porter d'Horribles Coups aus "Medee et Jason"
+Henry Desmarest: 4 Arien (Ah! Ne Puis-Je Savoir; Ou S'Egarent Mes Pas; Dans Notre Empire; Tremble, Armide) aus "Renaud, ou la Suite d'Armide"
+Andre Cardinal Destouches: Premier & Deuxieme Air pour les Sacrificateurs aus "Callirhoe"
+Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer: Tyrans des Coeurs aus "Zaide, Reine de Grenade"
+Joseph Valette de Montigny: Choeur du Sommeil
+Jean-Baptiste Stuck: Quel Charme me Retient & Gouffres qui Conduisez aus "Meleagre"
+Michel Pignolet de Monteclair: Rigaudons & Canarie aus "Jephte"