In 1761, a 31-year-old Haydn joined the service of Count Esterházy, who entrusted the young composer with his orchestra, said to be one of the...

In 1761, a 31-year-old Haydn joined the service of Count Esterházy, who entrusted the young composer with his orchestra, said to be one of the best in Vienna. The Prince “gave Haydn the four times of the day as the theme for a composition, which he set to music”. The result was Haydn’s Symphonies on the times of day: Le Matin (Morning), Le Midi (Noon) and Le Soir (Night), as the composer nicknamed them in French. These first Symphonies by Haydn are true masterpieces and served as Thierry Malandain's inspiration for his ballet “Marie-Antoinette”. These sinfonia concertantes give each soloist in the orchestra their moment of glory, offering the listener an almost “landscaped” vision of the passing of time, until the Opéra Royal Orchestra unleashes the final, furious tempest!