Zoroastre
Zoroastre (
Performance history
Zoroastre's premiere in 1749 was not a success; despite the magnificence of the staging, it failed to compete with
Libretto and music
Zoroastre includes some important innovations: it was the first major French opera to dispense with an allegorical prologue and its subject matter is not drawn from the
Roles
Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 5 December 1749[6][7] Conductor: André Chéron |
Revised version 19 January 1756[8][9] |
---|---|---|---|
Zoroastre | haute-contre | Pierre Jélyotte | François Poirier |
Abramane | basse-taille (bass-baritone) | Claude-Louis-Dominique Chassé de Chinais | Claude-Louis-Dominique Chassé de Chinais |
Amélite | soprano | Marie Fel | Marie Fel |
Erinice | soprano | Marie-Jeanne Fesch, "M.lle Chevalier | Marie-Jeanne Fesch, "M.lle Chevalier |
Zopire | basse-taille | Monsieur Person | Monsieur Person |
Céphie | soprano | Mlle Duperey | Mlle Davaux |
Zélize | soprano | Mlle Jacquet | No role |
Abenis | haute-contre | François Poirier | No role |
A voice from a cloud | haute-contre | Jean-Paul Spesoller called (de) La Tour (or Latour) | No role |
A Salamander
|
basse-taille | François Le Page | No role |
A Sylph | soprano | Marie-Angelique Coupé | No role |
Vengeance | basse-taille ( en travesti )
|
François Le Page | Henri Larrivée |
A voice from underground | basse-taille | Monsieur Le Febvre | Monsieur Desbelles |
Jealousy | soprano | Mlle Dalière | No role |
Anger | soprano | Mlle Rollet | No role |
First Fury | haute-contre (en travesti) | François Poireir | No role |
Second Fury | taille (en travesti) | Louis-Antoine Cuvillier, père | No role |
Third Fury | haute-contre (en travesti) | Monsieur La Tour | No role |
The Furies | No roles | Mlles Dalière, Dubois and Duval, Mrs Le Roy and Laurent | |
Oromasès | basse-taille | No role | Monsieur Gelin |
Narbanor | basse-taille | No role | Monsieur Cuvillier, fils |
Synopsis
The synopsis is based on the 1756 version
- Act 1
- The story takes place in the ancient kingdom of Bactria and concerns the struggle between the forces of Good, led by Zoroastre, the "founder of the Magi", and Evil, led by the sorcerer Abramane. When the opera opens, Bactria is in chaos after the death of its king, who has left behind two daughters: Amélite, the presumptive heir, and Erinice. Both are in love with Zoroastre, who is devoted to Amélite. Abramane has taken the opportunity to send Zoroastre into exile. The sorcerer also plots to seize the throne with Erinice, who wants revenge on Zoroastre for rejecting her love. Abramane conjures up demons to capture Amélite.
- Act 2
- Zoroastre is in exile at the palace of the king of the good genies, Oromasès. Oromasès tells Zoroastre to go and rescue Amélite and destroy the forces of evil. He puts Zoroastre through a magic initiation ritual to prepare him for the task. In the dungeons of the fortress of Bactria, Abramane and Erinice are torturing Amélite to force her to renounce the throne, when Zoroastre suddenly appears. He releases Amélite and destroys the fortress with his magic powers. Amélite is presented as queen to her joyful Bactrian subjects.
- Act 3
- Night. Abramane and Erinice quarrel over the disaster that has befallen their plans. Abramane hides Erinice in a cloud. At dawn, Zoroastre, Amélite and the Bactrian people assemble to worship the Supreme Being then celebrate the marriage of Zoroastre and Amélite. As the wedding ceremony takes place, Abramane arrives on a fiery chariot and kidnaps Amélite. Zoroastre prepares his magic spirits for war.
- Act 4
- In the temple of the god Arimane, Abramane receives news that the battle between the spirits of good and evil is going badly for him. He sacrifices to the god and summons up Hate, Vengeance and Despair.
- Act 5
- Erinice, now repentant, warns Zoroastre of Abramane's plan for a new battle. Abramane appears in the fiery chariot once more and reveals Amélite in chains. He calls on Zoroastre to surrender. Instead, Zoroastre calls on the gods, who strike down Abramane and his evil priests with thunderbolts. The opera ends with rejoicing as Zoroastre and Amélite are crowned king and queen of Bactria.
Discography
References
- Notes
- ^ Holden 2001, p. 842.
- ^ Sadler 1988, p. 19.
- ^ Girdlestone 1969, pp. 278–279.
- ^ John Rockwell (May 22, 1983). "Opera: Zoroastre, by Boston Group". The New York Times.
- ^ Sadler 2001.
- ^ "Zoroastre", Opéra baroque (in French)
- ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Zoroastre, 5 December 1749". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
- Gallica, Bibliothèque nationale de France
- ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Zoroastre, 19 January 1756". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Recordings of Zoroastre by Jean-Philippe Rameau". operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ "Rameau: Zoroastre 1749". Presto Music. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
- Sources
- Girdlestone, Cuthbert (1969). Jean-Philippe Rameau: His Life and Work (paperback edition). New York: Dover.
- ISBN 0-14-029312-4.
- Sadler, Graham, ed. (1988). The New Grove French Baroque Masters. Grove/Macmillan.
- Sadler, Graham (2001). Zoroastre (notes). William Christie, Les Arts Florissants.