Category: Tragédie lyrique

134. Dardanus (Rameau)

Tragédie lyrique in 5 actsComposer: Jean-Philippe RameauLibretto: Charles Antoine Le Clerc de la BruèreFirst performed : Académie royale de musique, Paris, 19 November 1739 (revised 23 April 1744) The tragédie lyrique, with its emphasis on text and ballet, bewildered foreigners: Burney considered the form “displeasing to all ears but those of France, which had been nursed … Continue reading 134. Dardanus (Rameau) →

129. Castor et Pollux (Rameau)

Tragédie en musique in 5 actsComposer: Jean-Philippe RameauLibretto: Gentil-BernardFirst performed: Académie royale de musique (1re salle du Palais-Royal), 24 October 1737 ; revised 1754 Of all Rameau's operas, Claude Debussy most admired Castor et Pollux, and, on his deathbed, he regretted he was unable to attend a performance. Since 1903, Debussy had held up Rameau (and … Continue reading 129. Castor et Pollux (Rameau) →

125. Jephté (Montéclair)

Tragédie tirée de l'Écriture sainte (tragédie biblique) in a prologue and 5 actsComposer: Michel Pignolet de MontéclairLibretto: Abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin, after Judges 11First performed: Académie royale de musique, Paris, 20 (28?) February 1732 Do you believe that yours is the only true god? Do you think that members of other religions are blasphemous idolaters who … Continue reading 125. Jephté (Montéclair) →

117. Tancrède (Campra)

Tragédie lyrique in a prologue and 5 acts Composer: André Campra Libretto: Antoine Danchet, after Tasso First performed: Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris, 7 November 1702, conducted by Marin Marais Welcome to the 18th century! Campra was the leading opera composer between Lully and Rameau.  A Provençal, he began as a church musician, rising to become … Continue reading 117. Tancrède (Campra) →

116. Médée (Charpentier)

Tragédie lyrique in a prologue and 5 acts Composer : Marc-Antoine Charpentier Libretto : Thomas Corneille First performed : Académie royale de musique, Paris, 4 December 1693 Lully was dead – and with him his monopoly over opera. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x44fg5c For more than a decade, only he had been able to compose opera in France. He defined the tragédie … Continue reading 116. Médée (Charpentier) →