Les Boréades

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Les Boréades (The Descendants of Boreas) or Abaris is an opera in five acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was the last of Rameau's five tragédies en musique. The libretto, attributed to Louis de Cahusac (died 1759), is loosely based on the Greek legend of Abaris the Hyperborean and includes Masonic elements.

There were no known performances of this opera in Rameau's lifetime, however. The work was in rehearsal in 1763 at the Paris Opéra, probably for a private performance at the court at Choisy. It is not known why it was abandoned, though many theories have been put forward, including that factions at court fought over it, the music was too difficult, there were subversive plot elements, and that the Opéra was burnt down in the month of rehearsals. The first known performance of the work was in 1770 in a concert performance at Lille. It owes its modern revival to the conductor John Eliot Gardiner, who gave a concert version of the piece in London in 1974. In 1982, Gardiner gave the first fully staged performance at the Aix-en-Provence festival in 1982. Since then, the opera's reputation and popularity have grown considerably.

1 Synopsis
2 Roles
3 Recording
4 Reference

[edit] Synopsis

Alphise, Queen of Bactria is in love with Abaris, whose origins are unknown. According to the traditions of her country, Alphise must marry a Boread, one of the descendants of Boreas, the god of the North Wind. Determined to marry Abaris, Alphise abdicates, angering Boreas who storms into the wedding and abducts Alphise to his kingdom. With the help of Apollo and the muse Polyhymnia, Abaris sets off to rescue her. He challenges Boreas and his sons with a magic golden arrow. Apollo descends as deus ex machina and reveals that Abaris is really his son by a Boread nymph. Therefore, there is no longer any obstacle to Abaris and Alphise's marriage.

[edit] Roles

Alphise (soprano)
Sémire (soprano)
Borilée (baritone)
Calisis (tenor) (haute-contre)
Abaris (tenor) (haute-contre)
Adamas (baritone)
A nymph (soprano)
L'Amour (Cupid) (soprano)
Polymnie (Polyhymnia) (soprano)
Boréas bass
Apollon (baritone)
Pleasures, Graces, Apollo's priests, Bactrian people, seasons, zephyrs, subterranean winds (chorus)

[edit] Recording

Les Boréades (Monteverdi Orchestra and Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, Erato 1982, re-released 2002)
Les Boréades (Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Opus Arte DVD, 2004)