Designed by Jean Nouvel, the Grande Salle Pierre Boulez at the Cité de la Musique is a glorious place to hear music. The seating areas nestle within a sphere that feels like the interior of its own hollow planet—yet no seat is more than 100 feet from the stage. Last year around this time, the countertenor-turned-conductor Raphaël Pichon, along with his period band and chorus Pygmalion plus soloists, filled the space with a romantic program so profoundly satisfying that for some 20 minutes afterwards the audience simply refused to leave. As the announcement for this return engagement informs us, Pichon has superintended a number of staged concerts of the Mozart Requiem in recent years. This time, though, he “returns to the essence of this extraordinary work.” No froufrou, in other words. That’s totally music to our ears. If you haven’t booked yet, join the waiting list at the earliest opportunity. —Matthew Gurewitsch