About the name
Name. 'William Christie' — after William Christie (born 1944), an American-French conductor and harpsichordist, founder of the cult baroque vocal ensemble 'Les Arts Florissants' (1979). In France, Christie revived the music of the XVII-XVIII centuries: he returned works by Charpentier, Rameau, Lully and Cavalli to the concert repertoire. He has held French citizenship since 1995. One of the most influential performers of authentic early music in the XX-XXI centuries.
Breeding. Bred by Dominique Massad (France). Introduced in 1998 through Roseraies Pierre Guillot. Parentage: 'Versigny'® × unnamed seedling. Belongs to the Generosa® Collection Guillot — a series founded in 1996 as the French equivalent of Austin English Roses: full-double fragrant varieties in an old-fashioned style with repeat flowering.
Significance. The Generosa® Collection is the French equivalent of Austin English Roses. A strong citrus-myrrh fragrance — a rare combination, typical of the Generosa-series. Continuous remontant flowering. HMF rating 'EXCELLENT-' — popular recognition. The 'musical' name makes it ideal for gardens of classical music and baroque lovers. The legacy of Massad: Dominique Massad is one of the leading contemporary French breeders, working at Guillot since the 1990s. It is often mistakenly attributed to the Delbard French Painters Collection, which is a different Delbard series (Camille Pissarro, Henri Matisse). William Christie — Guillot Generosa. No major international awards.