It’s the Opera Comique for the venue of this week’s work by Jean-Paul Rameau: “Les Fetes d’Hebe” (“The Festivals of Hebe or The Lyric Talents) on the Sunday Opera (7/20 3:00 p.m.). The performance features a cast of nine lead by Wiliam Christie and the Orchestra and Chorus of Les Arts Florissants.
True to most Baroque operas, the work consists of a prologue and three acts, and since this is Rameau, it’s one of his opera-ballets, filled with some of his lovely charming music.
The prologue opens on Mount Olympus where Hebe (Emmanuelle de Negri) is being harassed by the unwanted attentions of Momus (the personification of satire and mockery) (Marc Mauilon) until Cupid (Ana Vieira Leite suggest a trip to the Seine to witness the festivities celebrating the arts which make up the next three acts dedicated to Poetry, Music, and Dance.
In the act dedicated to Poetry, Sapho (Lea Desandre) is in love with Alcee (Lisandro Abadie), but their love is being thwarted by Theleme (Antonin Rodepierre). However, after viewing an allegorical play, all ends happily.
The second act takes place in the courtyard of a temple where the daughter of King Lycurgus (Cyril Auvity) named Iphise (Desandre) is in love with the warrior/musician Tyrtaeus (Renato Dolcini). Iphise feels that all is lost when the oracle claims that she must marry the conqueror of the Messenians. Of course, Tyrtaeus does conquer them in a battle seen as a ballet.
Dace takes place in a grove and ornate garden. The shepherdess Egle (Desandre) is known for her dancing abilities, and she is due to choose a husband. Another shepherd named Eurias (Abadie) covets her and becomes enraged when she seems to fall in love with the disguised Mercury (Mauillon), and they overcome Eurias’ wrath for a happy ending with the help of Terpsichore.
There are happy endings all around, and we’re all for that!
After the opera, we’re going to change things up with a Mahler symphony since we have the time, and we’ve had two weeks of Baroque operas. This time it’s his fifth symphony in a performance of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra combined with the Bavarian State Philharmonic conducted by Jonathan Nott. Although this is one of Mahler’s “middle” symphonies and not one that includes vocals, it does contain a movement that is considered to be a “love song” to his wife, Alma, as a poem he wrote for her scans perfectly. Tune in this Sunday to hear more!
