Les Itinérantes, a Cappella Trio

“Three enchantresses, as if escaped from a not-so-distant Brocéliande…”
Natalie Dessay & Laurent Naouri, opera singers

Les Itinérantes, a unique female vocal trio, draws its strength from the diversity of its repertoire. Supported by original arrangements, the three singers perform a cappella songs from all eras in over thirty different languages, journeying through styles, time, and space.

Manon Cousin, Pauline Langlois de Swarte, and Elodie Pont craft a sound with multiple personalities to adorn the various musical stories they tell. Gentle, powerful, celestial, or earthy, their voices meet, blending forgotten tales with original compositions, in languages sometimes lost or invented, on a journey where eras intertwine and borders dissipate.

Three musicians with distinct backgrounds who have brought together their diverse influences – from early music to French chanson – to illustrate themes dear to them: women, nature, travel, and imagination.

“Reis Glorios” is a medieval alba in Occitan, by the troubadour Guiraud de Bornelh (12th/13th century), arranged by Pauline Langlois de Swarte.

Glorious King, true light and clarity,
Be a faithful aid to my companion
Whom I have not seen since dusk
For soon the dawn will come.

As far as my steps carry me
From city to city,
From arid deserts to snow-capped peaks,
However rich the passing seasons may be
And intense the fleeting minutes,
Some bonds never break.

These invisible threads that cross borders and years,
Are like the fine strings of a harp
That a smile, a color, or a scent
Can touch and make vibrate anew.