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The Beggar's.

The Beggar's

Their research is also a journey of rediscovery: forgotten or marginalized pieces are reborn, revealing unsuspected treasures of baroque history. In 2018, he introduced the public to Richard Jones' Chamber airs for a violin, shaped from musicological research on theater music, pantomime, the satirical genre and the English style; it won a Diapason d'Or and a Coup de Cœur from Classica . Their work on Jean-Marie Leclair 's concertos has also found enthusiastic recognition, with distinctions such as the TTT from Télérama and a Muse d'or .

The Beggar's Ensemble presents its concerts in the most prestigious festivals and venues in Europe: Wiener Konzerthaus, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers, Residenz München, Festival Oude Muziek Urtrecht, Festival de Saintes. Winner of numerous awards, including the 1st Prize, the Audience Award and the Season Award of the Van Wassenaer Utrecht Competition in 2018, the ensemble seeks to renew the view of baroque music with sensitivity and authenticity, while remaining faithful to its artistic commitment.

The group also wants to make early music accessible to the public of Poitiers and its surroundings. This is why it is running the Musique à Saint-Porchaire project, a season of early music concerts in Poitiers.

The Beggar's ensemble stands out for its desire to reconcile audacity and authenticity, offering performances that are as rich intellectually as they are emotionally.

The Ensemble is supported by the city of Poitiers and the department of Vienne.

Born from the desire to rediscover the little-known and unloved repertoires of the 18th century, The Beggar's Ensemble borrows the name of the most famous anti-opera in history: The Beggar's Opera. Driven by the vision of its founder Augustin Lusson , an unclassifiable violinist, and the creativity of its musicians, the ensemble questions the conventions of baroque music without concessions, while celebrating its expressive and theatrical power. It offers a bold reinterpretation of ancient music, always on the border between the love of beauty and the attraction to the improbable. Its approach is based on duality : mixing historical knowledge and contemporary energy, to reveal the emotional depth and modernity of the works it defends.

The Beggar's Ensemble celebrates the beauty of contradiction . Their energy and passion for the incongruous transport the audience into a universe where lightness and the sublime freely coexist. The strength of the ensemble lies in this ability to oscillate between mischief and depth, where each note can echo a biting smile or an introspective reverie.

Nourished by repertoires that at first seem irreconcilable – from the subtle irony of the English Baroque to the refined declamatory art of the French tradition – The Beggar's Ensemble overturns expectations and creates unexpected bridges between elegance and grotesque. Each program is an invitation to a theatrical adventure, where roles are reversed and where the iconoclastic gaze rubs shoulders with learned virtuosity.

Augustin Lusson

Violin | Artistic Direction

Defined as a tightrope soloist, Augustin Lusson stands out for his unique vision of early music, blending tradition and modernity in a constant ballet of contrasts. With his Franco-Japanese roots, he embodies the meeting of worlds that seem entirely opposed. Augustin constantly evolves in a creative duality where apparent opposites become a source of creative energy: that of cultures, musical styles, and ways of conceiving art.

The Beggar's Ensemble, which he co-founded with Daria Zemele, also embodies this quest for balance between opposing worlds. Together, they explore the encounter between grandeur and triviality through baroque music, playing with theatricality, contrasts, and paradoxes. Inspired by John Gay's anti-opera, The Beggar's Opera, the ensemble rediscovers and reinvents forgotten repertoires, blending historical rigor with contemporary energy. Their first recording, dedicated to Richard Jones, won a Diapason d'Or and a Coup de Coeur from Classica. Praised for its liveliness and humor, this album reflects Augustin's radical approach: deconstructing expectations, playing with masks, and reimagining baroque aesthetics. Their innovative vision of Jean-Marie Leclair's concertos, released in 2022, was lauded by Télérama (TTT) and earned a Muse d'Or, confirming their place among the most promising baroque ensembles.

At just 18 years old, Augustin caught the attention of violinist and conductor Sigiswald Kuijken, who invited him to accompany him on a tour in Japan and the Netherlands. This spectacular beginning marked the starting point of a career that led him to collaborate with prestigious ensembles such as Le Concert Spirituel (Hervé Niquet), Ricercar Consort (Ph. Pierlot), Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien (F. Lazarevich), La Petite Bande (S. Kuijken), Le Poème Harmonique (V. Dumestre), and Akadémia (F. Lasserre).

For the past decade, Augustin Lusson has performed in major venues and festivals, including the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Tokyo Opera City, Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Palais des Ducs de Bavière, Oude Muziek Utrecht, Festival de Saintes, Festival de La Roque d'Anthéron, Musikfest Bremen, Festival de Beaune, La Folle Journée de Nantes, and the Gstaad New Year Festival, to name just a few. His musical and artistic commitment has been recognized with a Second Prize at the International Baroque Music Competition of Normandy at the Chapelle Corneille, the WDR3 Prize at the Biber Competition, as well as a First Prize and Audience Prize at the Van Wassenaer Competition in Utrecht.

Building on this vision, Augustin founded his own label, Bathos Records, in 2020. This label is the natural extension of his quest for duality, where he takes on the roles of violinist, producer, sound engineer, and graphic designer. His first solo album, *Playback*, perfectly illustrates this approach. Augustin has also recorded for the labels Flora, Mirare, Alpha Classics, Erato, and Son an ero Maguelone.

Alongside his activities with The Beggar's Ensemble, Augustin Lusson enriches his career with notable collaborations. Among them, his work with the Mico Consort led to the recording of the album Tilting at Windmills, where the combination of violin, viola da gamba, and the historic Spanish organ of the church of Saint-Éloi in Fresnes highlights works from the English repertoire of the 17th century alongside contemporary creations. He has also collaborated with artists such as Iakovos Pappas and Benjamin Alard.

Augustin Lusson also explores other musical realms that reflect the richness of his journey. Having grown up with the sounds of traditional French and Irish music, he developed a special affinity for popular repertoires and improvisation. With the project DSF, co-founded with guitarist Yael Namias, he blends traditions and experimentation, exploring modern instrumental techniques through an instinctive approach. This creative endeavor continues with his duo Parpaing, where, alongside double bassist Antonin Pauquet, he revisits traditional music with renewed energy. Augustin has also collaborated with avant-garde jazz group Ghost Rhythms and Ciac Boum, further expanding his sonic horizons.

His dedication to sharing and transmission is also reflected in his involvement in Poitiers, where he directs the "Musique à Saint-Porchaire" season, promoting an eclectic program of early music.

With one foot in the past and the other in the present, Augustin Lusson is an artist in perpetual motion, always seeking to surpass expectations and reveal the power of the contrasts that populate his musical universe.