Théotime Langlois de Swarte

“Performances so special that I feel a changed man from listening” (Gramophone); “A stunner by any standard” (The Strad); “Mesmerizing” (The New Yorker)— these represent common reactions upon encountering violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte, the much sought-after soloist (on both Baroque and modern violins), chamber musician, recitalist, and conductor.

Recognition has come in the form of major awards including the 2022 Diapason D’or for his recording of Vivaldi, Locatelli, and Leclair concertos (Harmonia Mundi) and the 2022 Ambassador of the Year award from the European Early Music Network, along with multiple additional recording awards and a February 2022 cover story in The Strad.

In solo appearances on both Baroque and modern violin, de Swarte regularly offers concertos by all of the Baroque masters, along with those of Haydn and Mozart. Along with Les Arts Florissants, he has appeared with Le Consort, the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal, Holland Baroque, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Les Ombres, and the Orchestre National de Lorraine. De Swarte’s engagements have brought him to prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall, the 
Philharmonie de Paris, Vienna’s Musikverein, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Berlin’s Philharmonie, Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Hall, and the Shanghai National Art Center.

De Swarte studied at the Paris Conservatory under Michael Hentz, and became a regular member of Les Arts Florissants at William Christie’s invitation in 2014, while still a student. He has since appeared as soloist with the ensemble, and is currently performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with that ensemble throughout North America. He has also appeared in recital with William Christie, the two artists recording sonatas by Leclair and Senaille (Generations on Harmonia Mundi) in 2021.

As co-founder—with harpsichordist Justin Taylor—of the Baroque ensemble Le Consort, de Swarte can be heard on numerous highly acclaimed recordings, including Specchio Veneziano, Opus 1, and Philarmonica, all on Alpha Classics. De Swarte and Le Consort have performed widely throughout Europe, and together, their debut North American tour in 2023–24 included their Cal Performances debut in November 2023, as well as concerts in Montreal, Boston, Washington, Kansas City, Chicago, St. Paul, New Orleans, Vancouver, and Ottawa.

Besides William Christie, frequent recital collaborators include harpsichordist Justin Taylor and lute player Thomas Dunford, with whom de Swarte recorded a muchpraised album, The Mad Lover. Another notable recording, A Concert at the Time of Proust, was made on the newly restored Davidoff Stradivarius at the Philharmonie de Paris Museum. De Swarte’s recent recording Antonio Vivaldi Concerti per una vita (Harmonia Mundi) has garnered wide acclaim and both he and Les Arts Florissants, have just released their highly anticipated recording of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the work’s first publication. 

Alongside his instrumental work, de Swarte is also emerging as a gifted conductor. In 2023, he led performances at the Opéra-Comique of Lully’s Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (with Les Musiciens du Louvre at Marc Minkowski’s invitation) and Gretry’s Zemire et Azor (at Louis Langrée’s invitation). He returns to the Opéra-Comique to lead Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride in November 2025.

Théotime Langlois de Swarte is a laureate of the Banque Populaire Foundation. He plays a violin of Carlo Bergonzi (1733) on generous loan from an anonymous patron.

North American Management

David Rowe Artists
www.davidroweartists.com