Les Musiciens du Louvre were founded in 1982 by Marc Minkowski and quickly became one of the most important European period instrument ensembles. For a long time, the ensemble’s repertoire focussed on French baroque music and the works of George Frideric Handel. They then began to expand their repertoire with a successful production of Monteverdi’s »L’incoronazione di Poppea« at the festival in Aix-en-Provence and with works from the early classical and classical periods. The orchestra has been based in Grenoble since 1996 and organises an annual concert cycle there. As an opera and concert orchestra, they perform throughout Europe and are regular guests at festivals around the world, including the Musikfest Bremen, where they first appeared in 1995.

The 2024/2025 season included Handel’s Concerti grossi, Mozart’s Symphonies Nos. 39, 40 and 41, and the revival of Johann Strauss’s »Die Fledermaus« at the Musikfest Bremen and in Spain, among other venues. To mark the 150th anniversary of Georges Bizet’s death, the orchestra also has a focus on his works in 2025.

After three consecutive albums with works by Mozart and a Rameau album, a recording of Handel’s Alcina was released in February 2024.

Les Musiciens du Louvre are supported by the French Ministry of Culture and by corporate and private sponsors. The Fondation Eurydice supports the Bizet programmes for the 2024/2025 season.