"The history of music is not simply the history of masterpieces… Posterity is not always fair and can be fickle, and our keenest hope is that the curiosity of the reader will be attracted to a number of works that merit more than a passing reference in music history." – Vincent Giroud
ARMIDE Tragédie lyrique in prologue and 5 actsComposer : Jean-Baptiste LullyLibretto : Philippe QuinaultFirst performed : Académie royale de musique, théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris, 15 February 1686 Armide, Lully and Quinault’s final tragédie lyrique, is generally considered their masterpiece. The critics, for once, are right. If you listen to only one Lully, listen to this. We’ve been rather … Continue reading 115. Armide (Lully)
Composer: Jean-Baptiste LullyLibretto: Philippe Quinault, after Aristo's Orlando FuriosoFirst performed: Versailles, 8 January 1685 Lully considered Roland his best opera. It certainly contains some of his best music, but the story is insubstantial and over-extended. The opera is based on an episode in Ariosto's epic poem Orlando Furioso (1516), a chivalric romance full of warring Christians … Continue reading 114. Roland (Lully)
AMADIS (DE GAULE) Opéra in a prologue and 5 acts Composer: Jean-Baptiste Lully Libretto: Philippe Quinault First performed: Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris, January 1684 For the first time, French opera leaves the world of the Greek heroes and gods, for mediaeval romance. Amadis, like all good heroes of chivalry, is separated from his parents at … Continue reading 113. Amadis (Lully)
