Phaeton was first produced not at the Palais-Royal Theatre in Paris but modestly at Versailles in January 1683. In the spring of that year it transferred to the Palais-Royal and was well enough thought of to enjoy revivals at regular intervals into the early 1740s. Indeed, rather as Atys became known as the ''King's opera'' and Isis as the musicians', Phaeton acquired its sobriquet, ''the opera of the people''. Among the many attractive airs ''Helas! Une chaine si belle'' (Act 5) was apparently a favourite duet of Parisian audiences, while ''Que mon sort serait doux'' (Act 2), another duet, was highly rated by Lully himself. In 1688 Phaeton was chosen to inaugurate the new Royal Academy of Music at Lyon where, as Jerome de la Gorce remarks in his excellent introduction, it was so successful ''that people came to see it from forty leagues around''. The present recording is a co-production between Erato and Radio France, set up to mark the occasion of the opening of the new Opera House at Lyon.
Founded in 1991 by Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques are now internationally recognised for their excellence in the Baroque repertoire and their latest recordings in the genre, for Aparté, have earned them international acclaim. After the huge success of 'Bellérophon', they now present Lully's 'Phaéton', recorded at the Salle Pleyel in Paris in October 2012. The critics commented on the admirable clarity and precision of the performance, the perfection of the choruses, sung with veracity by the Namur Chamber Choir, and an ideal cast.
This is the story of Phaeton, valiant driver of the Sun's chariot, led here by Vincent Dumestre and Benjamin Lazar, armed with a rich partnership of two decades of Lullyist cooperation. Just like at the time, they will make the Versailles Opera resonate with this production of this flamboyant tragedie lyrique which was first presented in Perm in Russia in 2018. Phaeton is a tragedie en musique in a prologue and five acts by Jean-Baptiste Lully. Philippe Quinault wrote the French libretto after a story from Ovid's Metamorphoses.
This is the story of Phaéton, valiant driver of the Sun’s chariot, led here by Vincent Dumestre and Benjamin Lazar, armed with a rich acquaintance of two decades of Lullyist cooperation. Just like at the time, they will make the Versailles Opera resonate with this production of this flamboyant tragédie lyrique which was first presented in Perm in Russia in 2018.
Voici la bande originale du film de Gérard Corbiau, réalisateur notamment du film Farinelli. On ne peut qu'admirer le soin avec lequel le cinéaste a mis en lumière les conflits et l'admiration réciproque entre les deux astres de Versailles : Louis XIV et Jean-Baptiste Lully. La musique est pétillante d'intelligence, de couleurs, de rebondissements, comme les intrigues de la première cour du monde. Sous la baguette explosive de Reinhard Göbel, le Musica Antiqua Köln révèle les contrastes les plus violents. C'est un bain de jouvence qui nous fait entrer dans un univers de théâtre aussi fascinant… Que dangereux !
This is the story of Phaéton, valiant driver of the Sun’s chariot, led here by Vincent Dumestre and Benjamin Lazar, armed with a rich acquaintance of two decades of Lullyist cooperation. Just like at the time, they will make the Versailles Opera resonate with this production of this flamboyant tragédie lyrique which was first presented in Perm in Russia in 2018.
acques‐Martin Hotteterre was a virtuoso recorder player at the court of Louis XIV the Sun King, in the distinguished position of Musicien de la Chambre du Roi. He was a famous composer as well, mainly for his own instrument, for which he wrote numerous works, in which he integrated Italian elements, such as instrumental brilliance and prevalence for longer melodic lines, in the courtly French style of dance forms and lavish ornamentation.
Discover or rediscover the masterpieces and rare gems of the baroque and classical repertoire with the greatest performers : Hervé Niquet (Richard Cœur de Lion by Grétry, The Magic Flute by Mozart, Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse by Boismortier), John Eliot Gardiner (La Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz), Vincent Dumestre (Phaéton, Cadmus et Hermione et Le Bourgeois gentilhomme by Lully, Egisto by Cavalli), Raphaël Pichon (Vespro della Beata Vergine by Monteverdi), Gaétan Jarry (Les Arts Florissans and David et Jonathas by Charpentier), Valentin Tournet (Les Indes Galantes by Rameau, Magnificat by Bach), Stéphane Fuget (Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria by Monteverdi, Grands Motets by Lully in 3 volumes), Leonardo García Alarcón (La Finta Pazza by Sacrati and The Coronation of Poppaea by Monteverdi), Olivier Latry (Mass for the Convents and Mass for the Parishes by Couperin), Jordi Savall (L’Orfeo by Monteverdi), Christophe Rousset (Psyché and Atys by Lully), Placido Domingo (The Versailles Gala), Mathias Vidal (Rameau triomphant) and Marc Minkowski (Nouvelle Symphonie by Rameau). The label has also recorded the first two French operas composed by women: Cephalus and Procris by Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre and Les Génies by Mademoiselle Duval.