Daphnis et Eglé

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Daphnis et Eglé is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 30 October 1753 at Fontainebleau. It takes the form of a pastorale héroïque in one act. The librettist was Charles Collé, and this was the only artistic collaboration between Collé and Rameau. Paul F. Rice has commented that this collaboration was an unhappy one, and speculated that this was due to Rameau's demands that Collé edit his libretto. This caused Collé to harbor resentment towards Rameau, even after the composer's death.[1]

The opera was the first which Rameau composed after the outbreak of the Querelle des Bouffons and some of the music shows Italian influence. The score contains 23 dance airs.[1]

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere Cast, 30 October 1753[2]
Dafnis, a shepherd haute-contre Pierre Jélyotte
Eglé, a shepherdess soprano Marie Fel
Le Grand Prêtre, the grand priest bass Nicolas Gélin
L'Amour, Cupid soprano Mlle De Riancour

Synopsis

The opera tells the story of a shepherd, Daphnis, and a shepherdess, Eglé, who believe they are merely friends until Cupid reveals they are really in love with each other.

References

Notes
  1. 1.0 1.1 Rice, Paul F., "The Fontainebleau Operas of Jean-Philippe Rameau" (Spring, 1988). The Journal of Musicology, 6 (2): pp. 227-244.
  2. According to the original libretto, p. 3.
Sources
  • Original libretto: Daphnis et Églé; Pastorale Heroïque en un acte, Représentée devan le Roi à Fontainebleau, Le 30 Octobre 1753, Paris, Ballard s.d. (accessible for free online at books.google)
  • Girdlestone, Cuthbert, Jean-Philippe Rameau: His Life and Work, New York: Dover, 1969 (paperback edition)
  • Holden, Amanda, (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029312-4
  • Sadler, Graham, (Ed.), The New Grove French Baroque Masters Grove/Macmillan, 1988


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