Opera
Jean de Cambefort, Antonie Boësset, Louis Constantin, Michel Lambert, Francesco Cavalli y Luigi Rossi
The Birth of the Sun King
19 Jun, 22
Le Ballet Royal de la Nuit
Musical conductor and musical reconstitution: Sébastien Daucé | Ensemble Correspondances | Opera in concert version
There are many monarchs who have had lead roles in operas (just this season at the Teatro Real we have Edward II of England, Gustav III of Sweden, and Fernando IV of Castile), but very few titles have the honour of being premiered by a King. In 1653, King Louis XIV, at the time aged 15 - danced the role of the god Apollon in the spectacle Le Ballet Royale de la nuit (The Royal Ballet of Night). The court extravaganza, celebrated the triumph of the crown over the rebellion that the aristocrats of the Fronde had instigated five years earlier. By way of an allegory, the Sun King dispels the darkness of the night, this is musically spread over four Watches (or veilles? In French? “Watches” is very confusing in this context) where song alternates with dance. Written by different French and Italian composers connected to the Court, the score lay buried deep in the archives of the Philidor Collection of the former library of the Paris Conservatory for centuries. It was rediscovered in 2004 and musically reconstituted in 2016 by Sebastian Daucé and the Ensemble Correspondances. Thanks to this process, we can enjoy an exquisite work where echoes of early Venetian opera and the antecedents of Lully’s tragic lyricism are recognisable.
Semi-opera in four scenes and final dance
Music by Jean de Cambefort (1605-1661), Antoine Boësset (1587-1643), Louis Constantin (1697-1779), Michel Lambert (1610-1696), with excerpts from Ercole amante (1662) by Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676) and Orfeo (1647) by Luigi Rossi (1597-1653)
Libretto by Isaac de Benserade
Premiered at the Palais Petit-Bourbon of Paris on the 23rd of February, 1653
Premiere at the Teatro Real
Opera in concert version
Ensemble Correspondances
ARTISTIC TEAM
Conductor and musical reconstitution | Sébastien Daucé
CAST
Lucile Richardot | La Nuit / Venere (La Noche / Venus)
Caroline Weynants | Euridice / Une grâce / Bellezza / Une âme errante / Cintia (Eurídice / Una gracia / Belleza / Un alma errante / Cynthia)
Caroline Bardot | Vénus / Le Silence / Une grâce (Venus / El Silencio / Una gracia)
Marie-Frédérique Girod | Une Grâce française (Una Gracia francesa)
Marie-Frédérique Girod | Une Grâce italienne (Una Gracia italiana)
Blandine de Sansal | La Lune / Dejanira / Une grâce / Une âme errante (La Luna / Deyanira / Una gracia / Un alma errante)
Ilektra Platiopoulou | Giunone (Juno)
David Tricou | Apollo / Une grâce / Un suivant d'Endimion (Apolo / Una gracia / Un seguidor de Endimión)
Etienne Bazola | Le Sommeil / Un suivant de Vénus / Un fleuve / L’Aurore / Une âme errante / Un Zéphyr (El Sueño / Un seguidor de Venus / Un río / La Aurora / Un alma errante / Un Zéfiro)
Renaud Bres | Ercole (Hércules)
Nicolas Brooymans | Un Grand Homme, Un Zéphyr, Un suivant d’Endimion (Un hombre grande / Un Zéfiro / Un seguidor de Endimión)
French
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Artistic information
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22 February
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24 February
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01 March
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19 June 2022
18:00
Main Auditorium
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