Rameau's Operas

[aeolium]

Up until fairly recently, the operas of Rameau seem to have featured rather sparsely on the schedules of opera houses, and there have been relatively few CD recordings and DVDs. But there seems to be a growing interest in Rameau and more companies are staging productions. Perhaps this is the beginning of a reappraisal similar to that which took place around the 1980s with Handel operas and which led to such an upsurge in enthusiasm for staging those works. Whenever I have listened to extracts from Rameau's operas (including the dance music) I have wondered why he has suffered such neglect compared to Handel, but I confess that to my shame I have never seen a complete Rameau opera. To remedy that I have splashed out on this box set from prestoclassical.

I'd be interested in any opinions on Rameau's operas from MBers' experiences either in the opera house, from DVD or on CD. Does anyone have any views about the productions in this box set?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The set looks very attractive and not unreasonably priced: I might give it a go myself (even if one production "contains nudity" - William Christie's opposition to conducting in "penguin suits" is reaching militant levels!)

Thanks for the "nudge", aeoli - I'll see if Santa's got any room left in his sack.

[kuligin]

A performance of Les Indes Galantes at the Paris Opera (Palais Garnier) remains one of my operatic highlights of all time.

Rameau is dificult to bring off unless you have the resources and the dancers, but his operas are far far more than the string of dance suites we are served up from time to time. In my view of equal quality to Handel

I have also seen a good Les Boreades in Paris and a mediocre Castor et Pollux in Amsterdam

I avoided the ENO Castor after reading the reviews, it seemed to be one of those rights at ENO when one was expected to close your eyes and just listen to the music. I am very cautious of spending the large amounts needed to visit ENO in case they repeat what they did to Partenope. So I am in two minds whether to hear the magnificent Sarah Connolly in Charpentier or not, probably wait for the reviews before making my mind up

Strange as they performed Doctor Atomic absolutely straight like a costume period piece.

[MickyD]

Nice to see this thread, Aeolium! I think you will enjoy that box set - I nearly bought it myself recently as it was on offer for just 33 euros on a French website.

The operas are wonderful, but as we know, sadly too rarely staged due to finances, I guess. I personally enjoyed an English Bach Festival production of "Platée" at Sadler's Wells back in 1983, with Jean-Claude Malgoire conducting and if I remember rightly, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt in the title rôle.

Go to the Archiv site...they currently have the wonderful Christie "Hippolyte" set on offer for just £9.

[doversoul1]

It won’t be long before vinteuil and MickyD come in with a list each that will make you wish you’d never mentioned the subject.

This is on my ‘to watch’ list

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_2CPHO49k4

Jean-Phillippe Rameau　 Castor & Polux

Castor - Finnur Bjarnason
Pollux - Henk Neven
Télaïre - Anna Maria Panzarella
Phébé - Veronique Gens
Cléone/Une Suivante d´Hébé/Une ombre Hëureuse - Judith van Wanroij
Jupiter - Nicolas Testé

Les Talents Lyriques
Musical Director, Christophe Rousset

There are quite a few full videos listed on this page.

[ed] Told you (Re: MickyD)

[aeolium]

That Castor et Pollux production is one of the operas in the box set, doversoul (I wonder if it is also kuligin's "mediocre Castor et Pollux in Amsterdam"?) I don't really like watching longish operas on my computer and don't as yet have an internet-capable TV (and there is the question of whether it's right to watch a pirated* version like this).

I hope to provide some feedback over the coming months. These will all be new experiences for me anyway

* if it is pirated, of course

[MickyD]

It won’t be long before vinteuil and MickyD come in with a list each that will make you wish you’d never mentioned the subject.

This is on my ‘to watch’ list

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_2CPHO49k4

Jean-Phillippe Rameau　 Castor & Polux

Castor - Finnur Bjarnason
Pollux - Henk Neven
Télaïre - Anna Maria Panzarella
Phébé - Veronique Gens
Cléone/Une Suivante d´Hébé/Une ombre Hëureuse - Judith van Wanroij
Jupiter - Nicolas Testé

Les Talents Lyriques
Musical Director, Christophe Rousset

There are quite a few full videos listed on this page.

[ed] Told you (Re: MickyD)

Aww, doversoul, are we really as tedious as all that?! Personally I thought I was remarkably restrained in my post.

[Nick Armstrong]

A performance of Les Indes Galantes at the Paris Opera (Palais Garnier) remains one of my operatic highlights of all time.

Rameau is dificult to bring off unless you have the resources and the dancers, but his operas are far far more than the string of dance suites we are served up from time to time. In my view of equal quality to Handel

Couldn't agree more.

I went through a huge phase of Ramellian operatic fervour some years ago (triggered by hearing "Tristes apprêts..." on Radio 3). I bought recordings and went to performances where possible. I came to the conclusion that enjoyable though some recordings are, this music benefits immeasurably from being heard live, in a way exceeding the benefits of live performance in other music. I think it's because of the style of ornamentation in particular - any recording is perforce 'mummified', whereas in a live context it is enthralling and sensual and touching in a rather indescribable way.

The performances of 'Platée', 'Les Boréades' (what music! those chalumeaux!! ), 'Les Indes galantes' (same one as you, kuligin - magical!), 'Castor et Pollux' and 'Hippolyte et Aricie' that I attended in France and Belgium were among the best theatrical and musical experiences ever. (The one exception was a dull semi-staged 'Dardanus' in Rennes, I suddenly recall ).

It's thus doubly sad that productions are few and far between. I actually find Rameau opera far more enthralling live than Handel, (which in contrast I prefer in smaller doses on recordings to the full three-act live experience)

[Prommer]

Glyndebourne is doing Hippolyte et Aricie next season, with William Christie and the team who put on the Faerie Queen to acclaim...

[Nick Armstrong]

Glyndebourne is doing Hippolyte et Aricie next season, with William Christie and the team who put on the Faerie Queen to acclaim...

Quite!

[doversoul1]

Aww, doversoul, are we really as tedious as all that?! Personally I thought I was remarkably restrained in my post.

My sincere apologies. I forgot to add this

[Flosshilde]

That Castor et Pollux production is one of the operas in the box set, doversoul (I wonder if it is also kuligin's "mediocre Castor et Pollux in Amsterdam"?)

The Castor et Pollux listed is from Amsterdam.

I've already got Les Boreades - a good production if a little monocrome & ' chilly' - appropriately. Still, I suppose just under £40 for four operas + is still a bargain. I have to watch them on my laptop, or wait until I'm on holiday somewhere with a TV & DVD player.

I saw an excellent production of Platee at the Edinburgh Festival a few years ago (I've just checked & it was in 1997 - rather more years ago than I thought). I remember enjoying it immensely, unlike the reviewer in the Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...e-1245187.html). He seems to have missed the point about Platee being a frog, though.

I think the mainstream Handel opera revival was helped by the stirling work of the Handel Opera Society, which put on annual productions at Sadler's Wells. Rameau hasn't had the same sort of support, apart from occasional productions for Lina Lalandi's English Bach Festival.

[teamsaint]

thought i would just bump this. Just seen a documentary on skyarts with William Christie , amongst others, and was wondering if people had any further thoughts on that Box of DVDs mentioned up thread?

I have an Xmas amazon voucher which is burning a hole....

Anyway, decent documentary, if you get a chance, and haven't seen it, with some exceptionally tantalising glimpses of various productions, some of which are in that DVD set.

I wish WNO would do some Baroque opera down here sometime, I don't recall having seen any on their schedules, but I could be wrong.

[gamba]

I'm quite happy just listening to these operas.

Perhaps someone will perform the great musette towards the end of Les Fetes d' Hebe when my time comes.

gamba

[aeolium]

thought i would just bump this. Just seen a documentary on skyarts with William Christie , amongst others, and was wondering if people had any further thoughts on that Box of DVDs mentioned up thread?

I have an Xmas amazon voucher which is burning a hole....

Anyway, decent documentary, if you get a chance, and haven't seen it, with some exceptionally tantalising glimpses of various productions, some of which are in that DVD set.

I wish WNO would do some Baroque opera down here sometime, I don't recall having seen any on their schedules, but I could be wrong.

ts, I mentioned on some other thread that there is a production of Rameau's Dardanus at Versailles in April/May, if you are able to take a trip over there. There are some very imaginative productions in the DVD box set you mention, and some superb music (I think my favourite is Les Indes Galantes).

Sadly, WNO seem to be shying away from baroque opera atm, though English Touring Opera who perform in a number of towns around England often have baroque opera productions, particularly but not only Handel. There does seem to be a greater interest in Rameau's work these days though, not before time.