Les Arts Florissants

When it comes to music, it’s not enough to blow the dust off an old masterpiece — you have to breathe new life into it. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” the French baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants has “embarked” (these sophisticated cats don’t merely “go”) on a rare North American tour, with an even rarer appearance at Michigan State University’s Wharton Center on Friday.  

Since its founding in 1979, Les Arts Florissants has helped to bring the intricate counterpoint, velvety textures and soaring melodies of baroque music, especially baroque opera, to modern audiences in all their thrilling, gorgeous glory. There’s nothing dryly “period” about this ensemble. Friday night, there won’t be any opera, but there will be a lavish, aromatic Italian baroque smorgasbord, including great but underappreciated music by Geminiani and Monteverdi that harmonizes with “The Four Seasons.” The group’s founder, baroque revival pioneer William Christie, is still its artistic director, but this tour is being led by a potent secret weapon, charismatic young French violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte.