Organization

Singer

Soprano

Katherine Watson

Love

A Phrygian woman

Conductor

Raphaël Pichon

Stage director

Michel Fau

Set designer

Emmanuel Charles

Costume designer

David Belugou

Lighting designer

Joël Fabing

Choreographer

Christopher Williams

Karina Gauvin

Venus

Gaëlle Arquez

Iphise

Tenor

Reinoud Van Mechelen

Dardanus

Bass-baritone

Florian Sempey

Anténor

Nahuel Di Pierro

Teucer

Isménor

First Dream

Étienne Bazola

A Phrygian man

A shepherdess

Virgile Ancely

Second Dream

Guillaume Gutiérrez

Third Dream

A Pleasure

Ensemble Pygmalion

Opéra National de Bordeaux

Others

Choeur Pygmalion

Bordeaux

France

Grand-Théâtre

Grand Foyer

"We have been inspired by Louis XV's times and we have enhanced, deformed and overplayed it. We reinvented this very particular age. We have reinterpreted it, we have associated to it many costumes and sceneries to make this production very theatrical, beautiful, sparkling, festive." (Michel Fau, stage director)

A resident of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, the ensemble Pygmalion, constituted of a choir and an orchestra on ancient instruments, had been awarded at the Victoires de la musique classique 2015. The ensemble began in 2011 a project with the operas of Bordeaux and Versailles to perform Rameau's rearranged versions of his lyric tragedies. Dardanus's original version, composed after Leclerc de la Bruère's libretto and premiered at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris in 1739, had been very badly welcomed by the audience. As a consequence, Rameau wrote a complete new version of its three last acts in his 1744 version.

Inspired of ancient mythologies, Rameau's opera stages one of Jupiter's sons, Dardanus (here performed by Reinoud Van Mechelen), whose love for Iphise (Gaëlle Arquez), daughter of the king of Phrygia (Teucer, here performed by Nahuel Di Pierro), who is also his rival, faces several impediments. Destined for Anténor (Florian Sempey), Iphise, who is confused, asks Isménor (Jupiter's priest) for his help; however Isménor had lent his face to Dardanus to help him understand Isménor's feelings. Dardanus will have to face a lot of ordeals, first being caught by the Phrygians, then having to face Anténor's jealousy and evade the plot set by Teucer, before Teucer finally accepts their union.

Through an extraordinary combination of mythological and supernatural themes, developed in an enchanting ballet, Rameau leads to its climax this lyric tragedy, at the heart of French Baroque inspiration. Philippe Beaussant, a musicolog, at this point will qualified Dardanus as a "French cultural exception".

Public

Approved

Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux

Grand Prix 2015 (Meilleur spectacle Lyrique de l'année) du Syndicat Professionnel de la Critique Théâtre, Musique et Danse
Résidence de l'Ensemble Pygmalion à l'Opéra National de Bordeaux.
Point d'orgue de la Résidence de l'Ensemble Pygmalion à Bordeaux, Dardanus marque une étape importante dans l'évolution musicale de Rameau. Au cœur de six tragédies, Dardanus est sans doute l'œuvre dans laquelle se perçoit pleinement le génie multiforme du compositeur. L'importance dévolue à l'orchestre dans l'accompagnement du chant atteint ici une pleine maturité. Le livret présente tous les « thèmes » de l'opéra à la française : l'amour contrarié, la vaillance du héros secrètement aimé, le magicien visionnaire ou les esprits infernaux.

Télévisions. Dardanus sera disponible gratuitement pendant un an sur Culturebox et sera diffusé ultérieurement sur France 2. La représentation du 22 avril sera diffusée en direct sur  et MEZZO LIVE HD. MEZZO et MEZZO LIVE HD sont deux chaînes de télévision disponibles chez Canalsat, Numéricable, SFR, Orange, Bouygues Télécom, Free… (facebook.com/mezzotv)

La représentation du 22 avril de cet opéra est diffusée en direct gratuit sur medici.tv
Il restera accessible gratuitement en replay pendant 3 mois sur le site et les applications mobiles de medici.tv.

Tragédie lyrique en 5 actes de Rameau.
Livret de Le Clerc de la Bruère. Coproduction : Opéra National de Bordeaux - Chateau de Versailles Spectacles - Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles - Ensemble Pygmalion. Avec le soutien du Casino Théâtre Barrière de Bordeaux. CCIBAvec le soutien de la Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Bordeaux

français

Grand Prix 2015 (Best Lyrical Show of the Year) from the Professional Syndicate of Theatre, Music and Dance Critics
Residence of the Pygmalion Ensemble at the Opéra National de Bordeaux.
The culmination of the Résidence de l' Ensemble Pygmalion in Bordeaux, Dardanus marks an important stage in Rameau's musical development. At the heart of six tragedies, Dardanusis undoubtedly the work in which the multifaceted genius of the composer is fully perceived. The importance devolved to the orchestra in the accompaniment of the song here reaches full maturity. The libretto presents all the “themes” of French opera: thwarted love, the bravery of the secretly loved hero, the visionary magician or the infernal spirits.

Dardanus will be available for free for one year on Culturebox and will later be broadcast on France 2. The April 22 performance will be broadcast live on and MEZZO LIVE HD. MEZZO and MEZZO LIVE HD are two television channels available from Canalsat, Numéricable, SFR, Orange, Bouygues Télécom,

English

Dardanus by Rameau, From (2015/2015), Directed by Michel Fau,, Conductor Raphaël Pichon, Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Co-Producer

Programme, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues