A rare and spirited work, Gluck’s *Le Cinesi* (*The Chinese Women*) transports us to a fantastical Orient, typical of the Rococo taste for the exotic. Composed in 1754, this little gem of an opéra-comique features three young Chinese women and a young man, brought together for a musical contest in which each attempts to seduce the others through song. Gluck delightfully parodies the operatic styles of his time, from the tragic to the heroic, in a lively, elegant and humorous score.

Performed by young singers from the Baroque scene, directed by Charles Di Meglio and accompanied by Andrés Gabetta conducting the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal, this evening is an invitation to rediscover the inventive genius of Gluck before *Orfeo*, in the splendid setting of the Théâtre de la Reine.