Opera in a prologue and five acts to a libretto by Francesco Buti
Premiered in Paris (Tuileries) in 1662
Hercules loves young Iole but is married to Dejanira. Besides, Iole is also loved by their son Hyllus. Venus, who favors love, or Juno, who protects fidelity, who will win?
Hercules in love or love allied to seduction. No more flattering a subject could have been chosen to celebrate the wedding of young Louis XIV and the Infanta of Spain. Mazarin mobilized the best Italian artists for this opera in order to spread the image of an irresistible monarchy. Opera was still an Italian art form and prolific Cavalli was its best representative since Monteverdi’s death.
The work mingles bigwigs with mythology, emotions with natural and cosmic phenomena. The result, a court ballet, a machine piece and an opera, is perfectly sumptuous and baroque. Sung in Italian, Ercole amante was hardly understood at the time, and yet it was to inspire a young ballet master named Lully.
The beauty of this rare piece is displayed by Raphaël Pichon and an ideal cast. Valérie Lesort and Christian Hecq give the Baroque the freshness and fantasy that made the success of their Domino noir in 2018.
Production in Italian with French supertitles
Transcription
Hercule amoureux, Hercule assassin, Hercule dieu sage. Venez découvrir l'opéra de Cavalli mis en scène par Valérie Lesort et Christian Hecq avec à la baguette Raphaël Pichon du 4 au 12 Novembre 2019
Music direction, Raphaël Pichon • Staging, Valérie Lesort et Christian Hecq • With Nahuel di Pierro, Anna Bonitatibus, Giuseppina Bridelli, Francesca Aspromonte, Krystian Adam, Eugénie Lefebvre, Giulia Semenzato, Luca Tittoto, Ray Chenez, Dominique Visse • Choir and orchestra, Pygmalion
See all the cast3h30 (entracte inclus) - Salle Favart
138, 122, 97, 75, 50, 34, 16, 6 €
Spectacle en italien, surtitré en français et en anglais
Distribution
Prima Grazia Marie Planinsek
Seconda Grazia, Primo Pianeta Perrine Devillers
Terzo Pianeta Corinne Bahuaud
Prima Aura Olivier Coiffet
Seconda Aura, un Sacrificatore Renaud Brès
Ruscello, Busiride, un Sacrificatore Nicolas Brooymans
Un Sacrificatore Constantin Goubet
Membres de Pygmalion
Dancers: Anna Beghelli, Rémi Boissy, Leslie Dzierla, Mikaël Fau, Florence Peyrard
New production
Opéra Comique
Co-production
Château de Versailles Spectacles, Opéra National de Bordeaux
We thank Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, Collaboration scientifique de Barbara Nestola, CNRS-CESR/CMBV
Compositions et orchestration Miguel Henry & Raphaël Pichon © Edition Nicolas Sceaux - Pygmalion - Tous droits réservés
Before the show
Meet the artists, Tuesday 15 October at 7 pm
Presentation of the production 45 minutes prior to the performance :
- Keys to the production, salle Bizet
- Sing Ercole amante, Foyer Favart
Partnership
Behind the scene
Read more
Transcription
Hercule amoureux, Hercule assassin, Hercule dieu sage. Venez découvrir l'opéra de Cavalli mis en scène par Valérie Lesort et Christian Hecq avec à la baguette Raphaël Pichon du 4 au 12 Novembre 2019
