Opéra National de Paris: Castor et Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau

Jan 20, 2025

3h 20m

★ 0.0

Overview

A return to its roots for Castor et Pollux, Jean-Philippe Rameau’s lyric tragedy first performed in 1737 at the Académie royale and inspired by the mythological episode of the Gemini. Rarely performed in its original version – the score was reworked by Rameau himself in 1754 –, this daring work plays on contrasts and expressiveness, as in the famous “Tristes apprêts”. The aria is sung by Télaïre mourning the death of her fiancé Castor, killed in battle, before his twin brother Pollux descends into the Underworld to ask his father, Jupiter, to bring him back to life. While this opera celebrates brotherly love, its prologue poses an essential question for director Peter Sellars: how do you stop a war and its attendant hatred and resentment?

Genres

Music

Drama

Opéra National de Paris: Castor et Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau Trailers

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Cast

Télaïre

Jeanine De Bique

Castor

Reinoud van Mechelen

Pollux

Marc Mauillon

Phébé

Stéphanie d'Oustrac

Minerve, Une Suivante d’Hébé

Claire Antoine

L’Amour, Le Grand-Prêtre, un Athlète

Laurence Kilsby

Vénus, une ombre heureuse

Natalia Smirnova

Mars, Jupiter, un athlète

Nicholas Newton

Self – Conductor

Teodor Currentzis

This is a good video of "Figaro", but there are a couple of better ones available. The Bohm and the Pappano are better still due to the female members of the casts. The reason for buying this one is the "Figaro", Bryn Terfel. No one can top him today in that role. John Eliot Gardiner also stands out. Many of us have voiced their opinion that If the Metropolitan Opera would release it's 1998 version, that would be the one to get.

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