Eight years after the success of Les Indes galantes, conductor Leonardo García Alarcón returns to the Paris Opera with a gem: a score by Antonia Bembo, an 18th century composer whose tumultuous life resembles a novel. Fleeing a violent husband, this Venetian sought refuge at the court of Louis XIV, where she received the king’s protection. It was in France that she forged a personal style, straddling Italian and French culture, before composing her opera Ercole amante in 1707, based on the libretto previously used by her master Francesco Cavalli. Never before staged in Europe, this Hercules in love, marked by harmonic originality and outstanding vocal virtuosity, is making its repertoire debut at the Paris Opera. Netia Jones explores the baroque work, full of gods and supernatural elements, and reveals its modernity: that of a powerful but ageing man incapable of accepting a woman’s refusal to consent.

Hercules: Husband of Deianira and father of Hyllus Deianira: Wife of Hercules and mother of Hyllus Hyllus: Son of Hercules and Deianira Iole: Daughter of Euthyrus, King of Eochalia Lychas: Servant to Deianira Page: In the service of Hercules The Shade of Euthyrus: King of Eochalia, father of Iole Juno, Venus, Pasithea, Neptune, Mercury, Beauty: Gods and goddesses

Ercole amante - 1

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ERCOLE AMANTE - 2

Ercole amante (saison 25/26) - 5

Ercole amante

25-26

Eight years after the success of Les Indes galantes, conductor Leonardo García Alarcón returns to the Paris Opera with a gem: a score by Antonia Bembo, an 18th century composer whose tumultuous life resembles a novel.Fleeing a violent husband, this V

Antonia Bembo

If Handel were alive today, he would be termed resilient. In 1734‑1735, when the public had cooled towards him and his contract with the King’s Theatre drew to a close, the composer began to write Ariodante, an “opera seria” intended for the opening of the brand new Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. As if galvanised by adversity, he produced a radiant work, as virtuoso as the libretto, drawn from an episode of Arioste’s Orlando Furioso, is simple: Ginevra, a Scottish princess, is in love with Ariodante to whom she is betrothed, but a conspiracy led by the traitor Polinesso results in her being accused of infidelity.As well as giving us Handel’s most beautiful lament, this inspired score abounds throughout in virtuoso arias and breathes theatrical intelligence. Enough to inspire Robert Carsen who, in the wake of his legendary Paris Opera production of Alcina, composed the same year, signs a new production of Ariodante. The English Concert Chœurs de l’Opéra national de ParisCoproduction with the Metropolitan Opera, New-York With the support of the Orange Foundation, sponsor of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts.© Opéra national de Paris - 2023 Picture: © plainpicture / Narratives / Brent Darby

The King of Scotland: Ginevra’s father Ginevra: Daughter of the King of Scotland, betrothed to Ariodante Ariodante: Feudal Prince, Ginevra’s fiancéLurcanio: Ariodante’s brother, in love with Dalinda Polinesso: Duke of Albany Dalinda: Ginevra’s lady-in-waiting, secretly in love with Polinesso Odoardo: King’s secretary

Ariodante 22-23 © Agathe Poupeney-OnP (4)

Ariodante_trailer

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Ariodante

If Handel were alive today, he would be termed resilient. In 1734‑1735, when the public had cooled towards him and his contract with the King’s Theatre drew to a close, the composer began to write Ariodante, an “opera seria” intended for the opening 

Georg Friedrich Handel

Opera-ballet in four entries and a prologue (1735) A masterpiece of the Enlightenment, Les Indes galantes is a sparkling entertainment. Yet Rameau’s first opera‑ballet also testifies to the ambiguous view held by Europeans concerning other peoples – Turks, Incas, Persians, “Savages”…In 2017, film director Clément Cogitore made an explosive and critically acclaimed film adaptation of an extract from Les Indes galantes in collaboration with the Krump dancers. This time, with choreographer Bintou Dembélé, he takes up Rameau’s box of delights in its entirety to set it once more in an urban and political space whose frontiers he explores. Orchestre Cappella Mediterranea Chœur de chambre de Namur Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine / Chœur d’enfants de l’Opéra national de Paris Compagnie RualitéA co-production of the Paris Opera, ARTE France, Telmondis and Mezzo, with the support of the CNC and the Orange Foundation, sponsor of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts.Director: François-René Martin © Opéra national de Paris – ARTE France - Telmondis – Mezzo - 2019Picture: © Little Shao / OnP

<ul><li>Hebe: Goddess of youth</li><li>Bellone: Goddess of war</li><li>L’Amour</li><li>Osman: Turkish pasha</li><li>Emilie: Young Provençal girl, Osman’s slave</li><li>Valère: Emilie’s lover</li><li>Huascar: High priest of the Sun</li><li>Phani: Peruvian princess</li><li>Don Carlos: Spanish office</li><li>Tacmas: Persian prince, in love with Zaïre</li><li>Ali: Tacmas’ friend and confidant, in love with Fatime</li><li>Zaïre: Ali’s slave</li><li>Fatime: Tacmas’ slave</li><li>Adario: Chief of the Indian warriors</li><li>Zima: Daughter of an Indian chief</li><li>Damon: French colonial officer</li><li>Don Alvar: Spanish colonial officer</li></ul>

Les Indes galantes

Les Indes galantes_trailer

Opera-ballet in four entries and a prologue (1735)A masterpiece of the Enlightenment, Les Indes galantes is a sparkling entertainment. Yet Rameau’s first opera‑ballet also testifies to the ambiguous view held by Europeans concerning other peoples – T

Jean-Philippe Rameau

The Krump dance was born in Los Angeles ghettos after the 1995 riots. Clément Cogitore creates a battle between urban culture and Rameau’s music on the Bastille Opera stage.  Director: Clément Cogitore; Choreographers: Bahim Rachiki, Igor Caruge aka Grichka, Bintou Dembele; Dancers: Strange Bangers, Madrootz, Monsta NY Madness, Real underground, X2Buck; Music: Jean-Philippe Rameau “Les Indes galantes: Les Sauvages”; Arrangement: Coco Josua / Mozarf, Thomas Deborde, Arnaud Toulon; Casting director: Mohamed Belhamar; Director of photography: Sylvain Verdet; Camera operator: Nicolas Eveilleau; Sound engineer: Paul Guilloteau; Stage manager: Alexandre Quillet; Video editing: Félix Rehm; Sound editing: Antoine Bertucci; Mixing: Tristan Lhomme; Color grading: Laurent Ripoll; Set photographer: Carl Labrosse; Production assistant: Julia Maraval; Production: Les Films Pelléas

INDESGALANTES_2

The Krump dance was born in Los Angeles ghettos after the 1995 riots. Clément Cogitore creates a battle between urban culture and Rameau’s music on the Bastille Opera stage.   Director: Clément Cogitore; Choreographers: Bahim Rachiki, Igor Caruge aka

Clément Cogitore

“A nymph reigning over a watery empire” or an “absurd Naiad”? Who exactly is Rameau’s strange creature sung by a countertenor and who shatters the conventions of opera?The ugly and conceited frog Platée is the victim of a machination of the gods who make her believe that she is loved by Jupiter.In this opera, composed to mark the marriage of the Dauphin Louis, son of Louis XV, to the notoriously unbecoming Princess Maria Teresa of Spain, Jean‑Philippe Rameau turns irony into the principal weapon of his score.This cruel yet moving farce is presented in a delightfully whimsical production by Laurent Pelly. Orchestre des Musiciens du Louvre The Paris Opera ChorusA coproduction by the Paris Opera and Telmondis, with the participation of France Télévisions and Mezzo With the support of the CNC and the Fondation Orange, Sponsor of the Paris Opera's audiovisual and digital projects, and Paprec, sponsor of Platée's broadcast.Director: François-René Martin © Opéra national de Paris - Telmondis - 2022 Picture: © Elisa Haberer / OnP

Platée: A batrachian nymph, she reigns over the marshes. Despite her ugliness, she is convinced that Jupiter is in love with her. Jupiter: God of the elements, he governs the earth and the heavens, father of the gods and of men. His identifying attributes are the eagle and the thunderbolt. Cithéron: The legendary king who gave his name to Mount Cithaeron. Mercure: God of commerce and travel and, in Roman mythology, messenger of the other gods. La Folie: An allegorical character symbolising gaiety.Junon: Jupiter’s wife, protector of women, particularly those with a recognized legal status in the city – women who are legitimately married. Amour: Son of Venus-Aphrodite. In Greek mythology, the god of love and creative ernergy. Momus: God of mockery, sarcasm and disguise, the “jester” of the Olympian deities. Thespis: Semi-legendary tragic poet of ancient Greece and, according to Athenian tradition, the inventor of tragedy. Thalie: One of the nine muses: the muse of comedy and idyllic poetry. Clarine: Maidservant to Platée.

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Platée_trailer

Platée

26-27

“A nymph reigning over a watery empire” or an “absurd Naiad”? Who exactly is Rameau’s strange creature sung by a countertenor and who shatters the conventions of opera? The ugly and conceited frog Platée is the victim of a machination of the gods who

A return to its roots for Castor et Pollux, Jean-Philippe Rameau’s lyric tragedy first performed in 1737 at the Académie royale and inspired by the mythological episode of the Gemini.Rarely performed in its original version – the score was reworked by Rameau himself in 1754 –, this daring work plays on contrasts and expressiveness, as in the famous “Tristes apprêts”. The aria is sung by Télaïre mourning the death of her fiancé Castor, killed in battle, before his twin brother Pollux descends into the Underworld to ask his father, Jupiter, to bring him back to life.While this opera celebrates brotherly love, its prologue poses an essential question for director Peter Sellars: how do you stop a war and its attendant hatred and resentment? Utopia Orchestra and ChorusDance and choreography: Christopher Beaubrun, Jin Lee Baobei, Andrew Coleman dit « Finesse », Xavier Days dit « X », Ablaye Diop, Ange Emmanuel dit « Kendrickble », Kenza Kabisso, Joshua Morales dit « Sage », Tom Mornet Bouchiba dit « Tomorrow », Cordell Purnell dit « Storm », Sarah Querut, Edwin Saco dit « Jamsy », Océane Valence

Castor: Son of Leda and Tyndare, mortal Pollux: Son of Leda and Jupiter, immortal Télaïre: Castor’s fiancée Phébé: Pollux’s partner Jupiter: Pollux’s father

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Castor et Pollux

24-25

A return to its roots for Castor et Pollux, Jean-Philippe Rameau’s lyric tragedy first performed in 1737 at the Académie royale and inspired by the mythological episode of the Gemini. Rarely performed in its original version – the score was reworked 

Violent, terrifying and fascinating, Caligula, Nero and Elagabalus led lives so short, ambivalent and cruel that they inspired numerous writers. “Anarchy, to the extent to which Elagabalus pushes it, is genuine poetry”, wrote Antonin Artaud, exalting a man’s battle against conventions and order.Cavalli’s last-known opera, dating from 1667, focuses on the perverse young emperor who neglected affairs of state in favour of sensual pleasures.Systematically overturning accepted morals, Elagabalus dresses men as women, and names women to the Senate, favours sinning servants and humiliates generals. Baroque and carnivalesque, Eliogabalo is not, however, an opera that advocates a return to order.Leonardo García Alarcón, a finder of baroque gems, and Thomas Jolly are careful not to transform Eliogabalo into a sublime icon who would abase virtue.On the contrary, the conductor and young director, who are presenting their first production for the Paris Opera, accept the character’s contradictions and ambiguities Orchestre Cappella Mediterranea Chœur de Chambre de NamurCoproduction avec de Nationale Opera, Amsterdam Coproduction Opéra national de Paris, CLC Productions with the participation of France TélévisionsWith the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts and with the assistance of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée.Director: Julien Condemine & Roberto Maria Grassi © Opéra national de Paris - CLC Productions – 2016Picture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP

<ul><li>Eliogabalo: Emperor of Rome</li><li>Alessandro: Eliogabalo’s cousin and heir </li><li>Gemmira: Giuliano’s sister, engaged to Alessandro but coveted by Eliogabalo</li><li>Giuliano: Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, in love with Eritea</li><li>Eritea: A young woman dishonoured by Eliogabalo and in love with Giuliano</li><li>Zotico: A confidant and favourite of Eliogabalo</li><li>Lenia: Eliogabalo’s nurse</li><li>Nerbulone: Coach driver, Lenia’s fiancé</li><li>Atilia Macrina: A young woman in love with Alessandro</li><li>Tiferne: A gladiator</li></ul>

2016-17-ELIOG162

Eliogabalo_trailer

Eliogabalo

Violent, terrifying and fascinating, Caligula, Nero and Elagabalus led lives so short, ambivalent and cruel that they inspired numerous writers. “Anarchy, to the extent to which Elagabalus pushes it, is genuine poetry”, wrote Antonin Artaud, exalting

Francesco Cavalli

Discover this selection of performances bringing together emblematic works from the European Baroque repertoire, showcasing the birth of opera and the rise of its great dramatic forms.From Venice to London and Paris, it brings together Eliogabalo, the Venetian opera by Francesco Cavalli, the virtuosity of Georg Friedrich Haendel in Ariodante, and the brilliance of French lyric tragedy represented by Jean-Philippe Rameau with Les Indes galantes, Platée, and Castor and Pollux.It also features Ercole Amante by Antonia Bembo, a rare testament to women's contribution to Baroque opera, presented here in its first staged production in Europe.

Discover this selection of performances bringing together emblematic works from the European Baroque repertoire, showcasing the birth of opera and the