Céphale et Procris (Opera in concert version)

Royal Opera of Versailles (Palace of Versailles), Crusades Room, Paris, France

All photos (1)

Select date and time

8 PM

Request for Tickets

Important Info

Type: Opera

City: Paris, France

Starts at: 20:00

Acts: 5

Intervals: 1

Duration: 2h

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Overview

Lyric tragedy in a prologue and five acts to a libretto by Joseph-François Duché de Vancy, based on the myth of Cephalus and Procris in Ovid's Metamorphoses, first performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in 1694.

1694: the first French opera composed by a woman, Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, was first performed on the stage of the Académie royale de musique, at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal.

Cephalus and Procris, inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses, tells the fateful destiny of two Greek lovers, whom the plots of the jealous and amorous gods will drive to the blindness and horror of revenge: Cephalus inadvertently kills Procris, convinced that she is unfaithful to him, and in his infinite sorrow he takes his own life...

Aged only eight, she was introduced to Louis XIV, who admired the talented young harpsichordist. Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre remained at court for several years, her reputation as an inspired virtuoso growing with age. A brilliant character, she found the means to become a composer at a time when such freedom was almost unheard of for a woman. In addition to cantatas, a harpsichord book dedicated to Louis XIV published in 1687 and religious pieces, she composed three operas, of which only her opus magnum survives, with this mythological piece, which is still awaiting resurrection...

This lyrical tragedy, strongly inspired by Lully, marked the entry of a woman composer on the French stage: a first, but also a successful gamble, with six performances and a reputation for the work that has remained famous throughout the last century and still arouses curiosity today. In a distinguished career as a countertenor, Reinoud Van Mechelen also wishes to conduct the works he wants to defend at all costs: today, at the head of his ensemble A Nocte Temporis he revives Cephalus and Procris in concert and on record, with a dream cast.

History

Premiere of this production: 17 March 1694, Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris

Céphale et Procris (Cephalus and Procris) is an opera by the French composer Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre. It takes the form of a tragédie en musique in five acts with an allegorical prologue. The libretto, by Joseph-François Duché de Vancy, is loosely based on the myth of Cephalus and Procris as told in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The opera was first performed by the Paris Opéra at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal on 17 March 1694.

Venue Info

Royal Opera of Versailles (Palace of Versailles) - Paris
3 Place Léon Gambetta, Versailles

The Royal Opera of Versailles is the main theatre and opera house of the Palace of Versailles. The Royal Opera is one of the greatest works by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel. Inaugurated in 1770 during the reign of Louis XV, it was at the time the largest concert hall in Europe, and was also a great technical achievement and an impressive feat of decorative refinement. A theatre for monarchic and then republican life, it has hosted celebrations, shows and parliamentary debates.

Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, it is also known as the Théâtre Gabriel. The interior decoration by Augustin Pajou is constructed almost entirely of wood, painted to resemble marble in a technique known as faux marble. The excellent acoustics of the opera house is at least partly due to its wooden interior.

The house is located at the northern extremity of the north wing of the palace. General public access to the theater is gained through the two-story vestibule. Some parts of the Opéra, such as the King's Loge and the King's Boudoir represent some of the earliest expressions of what would become known as the Louis XVI style.

Lully’s Persée — written in 1682, the year Louis XIV moved into the palace — inaugurated the Opéra on 16 May 1770 in celebration of the marriage of the dauphin — the future Louis XVI — to Marie Antoinette.

The Opéra Royal can serve either as a theater for opera, stage plays, or orchestral events, when it can accommodate an audience of 712 or as a ballroom when the floor of the orchestra level of the auditorium can be raised to the level of the stage. On these occasions, the Opéra can accommodate 1,200.

Important Info

Type: Opera

City: Paris, France

Starts at: 20:00

Acts: 5

Intervals: 1

Duration: 2h

Masterclasse : Jan Versweyveld le mercredi

Opera National de Paris - Paris

15 May 2019, Wed, 7 PM

Semele

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées - Paris