Platée

Prologue

After a night of partying, the actor Thespis is woken from a drunken stupor by his equally drunken friends. They urge him to continue his praise of Bacchus. Momus (the personification of Satire), and Thalie (the Muse of Comedy), join the party. They ask Thespis to join them in creating a new form of drama which would satirize the faults both of humans and gods. Momus suggests they should base their satire on Jupiter’s famous attempt to cure Juno of her jealousy. Amor interrupts them, declaring that it would be impossible to stage this new entertainment without him. Led by Thespis, they invoke Bacchus to help them create their new form of drama.

Act 1

Mercury explains to Citheron that Jupiter has instructed him to deal with the problem of Juno’s jealousy. Citheron has the perfect plan: Jupiter should pretend to be in love with Platée, a ridiculous and unattractive nymph who believes every man she meets to be madly in love with her. Juno is to be made jealous of Jupiter’s supposed new mistress and intercept them together. When Juno discovers how absurd Platée is, she will reaise how unreasonable her jealousy has been, and the heavenly couple will be reunited. This will also allow Jupiter to continue unimpeded with any future amorous liasons. Platee now appears with her attendant Clarine. Inspite of his constant denials, Platée is convinced that Citheron is madly in love with her. But when Citheron and Mercury inform her that Jupiter has fallen under her spell, she changes her attentions and her ambitions: Platée prepares to meet the King of the Gods…

Act 2

Mercury has persuaded Juno to search for her unfaithful husband in Athens, allowing him and Citheron to develop their plan in peace. Platée arrives and waits for Jupiter. The great God appears, first as a cloud, then as a donkey, then as an owl, before finally appearing as himself, preceded by a flash of lightning. Jupiter’s friends also arrive and pretend to admire Platée, while actually ridiculing her. Finally, la Folie herself makes a surprise appearance. She sings of the power of Love and Music, while recounting the tales of Apollo and Daphne, and Zephire and Flora. Platée’s delight at her impending marriage continues to grow.

Act 3

Having failed to find Jupiter in Athens, Juno returns home in fury. She is persuaded by Mercury to hide. Platée and Jupiter enter together with Jupiter’s friends, who pretend to celebrate the impending union. When Platée wonders why Amor and Hymen have not come to bless their marriage, Mommuss, one of Jupiter’s attendants, is quickly transformed into a makeshift Amor. La Folie also joins the party. As Jupiter and Platée prepare for bed, Juno storms in. As soons as she sees Platée she bursts out laughing, finally realizing that the whole thing was nothing but a joke. Everyone joins her in uproarious laughter. Jupiter and Juno are reconciled and return to their heaven, while Platée, ridiculed and humiliated, is left alone on earth.

Robert Carsen