Phaëton (Lully)

  • Astrée (soprano )
  • Saturne ( bass)
  • Libie (soprano )
  • TheOne (soprano )
  • Phaeton ( countertenor )
  • Climene (soprano )
  • Pro tea (baritone )
  • Triton ( countertenor )
  • Epaphus (baritone )
  • Merops ( bass)
  • The Sun ( countertenor )
  • A shepherdess
  • The earth (Tenor)
  • Jupiter ( bass)

The tragédie en musique Phaeton was the last opera by Jean -Baptiste Lully and Philippe Quinault. It is based on the Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid. The premiere took place at Versailles on January 6, 1683.

Content

Act I

Location: Garden, Grotte

Libya, the daughter of the Egyptian king Merops, and theone, the daughter of the sea god Protee, are presented: Both are unhappy: Libye loves epaphus and TheOne loves Phaeton, the son of Clymene, wife of Merops. TheOne feels neglected by Phaeton, Libya 's afraid of a decision of her father: Merops wants namely appoint his successor on the same day. It quickly becomes clear that Phaeton Merops ' successor wants to be and this will also. Clymene convinced her brother, the sea god Triton, his subordinates, Protee to force, to comment on the fate of Phaeton. This says Phaeton a terrible end first.

Act II

Location: Hall in the palace of the king Merops

Clymene reported Phaeton Protees prophecy, but he does not believe her, he is confident and full of ambition. TheOne and Libya are unhappy over the loss of a Phaeton, the other about the forced marriage with Phaeton.


Act III

Location: Temple of Isis

Phaeton and entourage go to the temple of Isis in order to make offerings. Epaphus can not accept the decision of Merops and doubts that Phaeton is the son of the sun. He also calls his mother to stop the crime: The gates of the temple close only to then practically as a gateway to the underworld to reopen and to scare the meeting. Phaeton remains steadfast and forces his mother to witness the paternity of the sun. Then Phaeton is carried by winds to the palace of the sun.


Act IV

Location: Palace of the Sun

Praises to the sun through the seasons and the hours of the day, followed by a conversation between the sun and Phaeton in which this is fully to her son. Phaeton is offered as proof of his parentage a wish, he wants to direct the sun scales. His father tried to dissuade him in the sight of the danger of it, but fails and his son must finally give the promise.

Act V

Location: lovely landscape

Phaeton in the chariot of the sun. Only enthusiasm among the inhabitants of the earth, then after clear the Phaeton will lose control of the sun scales, shock and chaos. Jupiter Saves The Earth, by Phaeton and the sun scales shattered with a flash.

Constellation of

Literature (selection )

  • Norman Buford: Touched by the graces. The libretti of Philippe Quinault in the context of French classicism. Summa Publications, Birmingham, 2001.
  • Joyce Newman: Jean -Baptiste de Lully and his tragédies lyriques. UMI Research Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1979.
Bass (voice type) Versailles (city)
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