Actéon
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| Operas by Marc-Antoine Charpentier |
|---|
Le Malade imaginaire (1673) |
Actéon (Actaeon) is a Pastorale in the form of a miniature tragédie en musique in six scenes by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Opus H 481, based on a Greek myth.
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[edit] History
It was premiered at the Hôtel de Guise (establishment of Marie de Lorraine, Duchess of Guise) in Paris at some point between 1683 and 1685. It was later revised to change the title role from an haute-contre role (probably originally sung by Charpentier)[1] to a soprano part, and was at that time renamed Actéon changé en biche.
The author of the French libretto is unknown, however the plot is based on a story in Ovid's Metamorphoses. In this story the hunter Actaeon (Actéon in French) accidentally discovers the goddess Diana (Diane in French) bathing with her attendants. He tries to hide himself, but is discovered, and Diane in anger turns him into a stag, and he is pursued and torn apart by his own hounds.
This story is the same one recounted in the aria "Oft she visits this lone mountain" from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, first performed in 1689.
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 1683-5 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Actéon, a hunter | haute-contre | |
| Diane, Goddess of the hunt | soprano | |
| Junon, Queen of the gods | mezzo-soprano |
[edit] Selected recordings
- Charpentier: Actéon / William Christie, Les Arts Florissants CD. Harmonia Mundi Musique d'Abord (2001). Catalog# 1951095.
[edit] References
- John S. Powell. "Actéon", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed July 23, 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access).
- H. Wiley Hitchcock. "Charpentier, Marc-Antoine 3. Stage music.", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed July 23, 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access).
- ^ Hitchcock
[edit] External links
- Libretto (in French)
