Phèdre (opera)

Phèdre (Phaedra) is an opera by the French composer Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, first performed at Fontainebleau on 26 October 1786. It takes the form of a tragédie lyrique in three acts. The libretto, by François-Benoît Hoffman, is based on the Greek myth of the obsessive love of Phaedra for her stepson Hippolytus.

Roles

Cast Voice type Premiere cast
Phèdre (Phaedra) soprano Antoinette Saint-Huberty
Thésée (Theseus) basse-taille (bass-baritone) Auguste-Athanase (Augustin) Chéron
Hippolite (Hippolytus) haute-contre J.Rousseau
Œnone soprano Adelaïde Gavaudan, cadette (the Younger)
La grande prêtresse de Vénus (the high priestess of Venus) soprano Anne-Marie Jeanne Gavaudan, l'ainée (the Elder)
Un grand de l'état (an important statesman) baritone Louis-Claude-Armand Chardin ("Chardiny")
Un chasseur (a huntsman) bass-baritone Moreau

Sources