The ensemble
The ensemble
After completing their studies at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, Céline Frisch and Pablo Valetti gathered a handful of musicians around them to continue making music with high standards and passion. Thus Café Zimmermann was born in 1999, with the idea of recreating a space for encounters and exchanges around music, inspired by Gottfried Zimmermann's original café in 18th-century Leipzig, where one could enjoy coffee but also listen to the music of Telemann or Bach.
From the outset, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach has been the centre of gravity of the ensemble's repertoire, mirroring that of his contemporaries, precursors and heirs. Recorded in 2000, the first disc of Bach's complete orchestral music launched the career of the young Alpha label and marked the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration with it.
Over the years, the ensemble has refined its sound quality through its chamber music repertoire, while gradually expanding its membership. By maintaining this chamber music standard within an orchestra that can bring together up to 25 musicians, Café Zimmermann has developed its own unique sound, which has led to performances in Europe and around the world.
Exclusively instrumental in its early days, it has opened up to the vocal repertoire with the collaboration of soloists such as Sophie Karthäuser, Damien Guillon and, more recently, Eva Zaïcik, as well as chamber choirs such as Les Éléments, Accentus and Vox Luminis.
Currently in residence at the Théâtre du Jeu de Paume in Aix-en-Provence, Café Zimmermann has established itself as one of the leading baroque ensembles in France and Europe. Alongside its artistic activities, the ensemble develops awareness-raising and educational initiatives to introduce 18th-century music to an ever-wider audience.
Its discography, largely devoted to Johann Sebastian Bach, has been praised by specialist critics and awarded numerous distinctions, including several Diapasons d'Or and Chocs de Classica. The latest milestone in this journey, the album Vivaldi, Masques, recorded with countertenor Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian and released in January 2026, invites listeners to a ball of arias and concertos where love, revenge and betrayal intertwine, brilliantly revealing the expressive richness and theatricality of 18th-century Italian music.
A native of Marseille, Céline Frisch studied harpsichord at the Conservatoire d'Aix-en-Provence, then at the Schola Cantorum in Basel with Andreas Staier and Jesper Christensen. She has since performed as a soloist and with the Café Zimmermann ensemble, founded in 1999 with violinist Pablo Valetti.
Her interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach's music have earned her the warmest reviews from the international music press. Her affinities also lead her to play French music from the time of Louis XIV, works by English virginalists and 17th-century German music. She also enjoys exploring 20th-century music and contemporary compositions.
Dedicated to the music of Bach, D'Anglebert and Rameau, among others, her recordings have all been praised by excellent reviews and awarded the highest distinctions by the specialised press (Diapasons d'or de l'année, Choc de l'année du Monde de la Musique, Choc de Classica, Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros, ffff de Télérama, etc.). Her interpretations of J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations and the two books of The Well-Tempered Clavier are considered benchmark versions.
From 2020 to 2023, she held a professorship at the prestigious University of Performing Arts in Vienna. In 2009, she was awarded the insignia of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
Born in Buenos Aires, Pablo Valetti began studying violin with Boris Chumachenco before joining the Schola Cantorum in Basel in 1991, where he perfected his skills with Chiara Banchini. This choice marked the beginning of an international career devoted to Baroque music.
Renowned for his expressive and refined style, he performs as a soloist, conductor or first violin with prestigious ensembles: Le Concert des Nations, Hespèrion XXI, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Concerto Vocale, Les Talens Lyriques, Pulcinella and Il Pomo d’Oro. His concerts have taken him to the world's greatest venues: the Konzerthaus and Musikverein in Vienna, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Salle Gaveau and Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, as well as throughout Asia and the Americas. Each performance is distinguished by a warm tone and energy that captivates audiences.
A passionate teacher, he has taught baroque and classical violin at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona, passing on his knowledge to a new generation of musicians.
His discography reflects his artistic standards: he has recorded for leading labels such as Astrée, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Harmonia Mundi France, Archiv Produktion, Alpha, as well as for various radio stations. His recordings have been praised by international critics and awarded the highest honours.
Pablo Valetti plays an exceptional violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (Milan, 1758), which belonged to the legendary Henri Vieuxtemps.
