Vénus et Adonis
Encyclopedia
Vénus et Adonis is an opera (tragédie en musique) in a prologue and 5 acts composed by Henri Desmarets
to a libretto
by Jean-Baptiste Rousseau
. Based on the story of Venus
and Adonis
in Book X of Ovid's Metamorphoses, it was first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique
in Paris on 28 July 1697 with Marie Le Rochois
and Louis Gaulard Dumesny
in the title roles. Desmarets staged a major revival of the work with a new prologue at the court of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
in 1707. During the composer's lifetime, it was performed in Germany, Belgium and France, but then fell into obscurity. Its first staging in modern times took place at the Opéra de Nancy on 28 April 2006.
Vénus et Adonis was Desmarets' eighth stage work and his third to be premiered at the Académie Royale de Musique
in Paris. Between 1695 and 1697, Desmarets was working simultaneously on Vénus et Adonis, Les festes galantes (an opéra-ballet
), and another five-act tragédie en musique, Iphigénie en Tauride
. Vénus et Adonis was the first of the three to premiere, and according to the French musicologist Jean Duron, it was also Desmarets' favourite work. His librettist was Jean-Baptiste Rousseau
, who was at the start of his career and only 26 when the opera premiered. The myth of Venus and Adonis as recounted in Book X of Ovid's Metamorphoses held a particular fascination for the poets, artists, and musicians of the Renaissance
and Baroque
eras and was the inspiration for numerous works. It had been the subject of at least two operas prior to Desmarets and Rousseau's treatment, Mazzocchi
's La catena d'Adone
(1626) and Blow
's Venus and Adonis
(1683), as well as Donneau de Visé's play, Les Amours de Vénus et d’Adonis with music by Charpentier
(1669). Rousseau's treatment differed in that he added the character of Cidippe, a Cypriot princess, whose unrequited love for Adonis eventually ends in her suicide.
During the time Desmarets was completing Vénus et Adonis and preparing the cast for its premiere, he was embroiled in a scandal involving his love affair with Marie-Marguerite de Saint-Gobert, the eighteen year old daughter of a high official in Senlis
. Her father was implacably opposed to a marriage, and the couple eloped to Paris in June 1697. Vénus et Adonis premiered on 28 July 1697 with Marie Le Rochois
as Venus and Louis Gaulard Dumesny
as Adonis. Six months later, Marie-Marguerite gave birth to a son and her father brought a criminal prosecution against Desmarets for seduction and kidnapping which was to last for over two years. Les festes galantes premiered in 1698, but Desmarets left Iphigénie en Tauride unfinished when he and Marie-Marguerite fled France in 1799. Desmarets was condemned to death in absentia and only pardoned some 20 years later.
After several years in exile as the court composer for Philip V of Spain
, Desmarets took up an appointment as master of music at the court of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
in Lunéville
. There he revived Vénus et Adonis on 15 November 1707 to celebrate the Duke's name day
. Desmarets had dedicated Vénus et Adonis to his long-time patron Louis XIV and set the prologue on the plains of Marly-le-Roi
with Louis XIV's famous leisure residence, Château de Marly
in the background. For the 1707 Lunéville performances, Desmarets and Rousseau created a completely new prologue set in the gardens of Duke Leopold's château. In the ensuing years Vénus et Adonis was performed at the court of Charles III in Baden-Durlach (1713), La Monnaie
in Brussels (1714), the Académie Royale de Musique with the Duchesse de Berry
in attendance (1717), in Hamburg
performed in French but with a comic prologue in German (1725), and in Lyon (1739). Between 1714 and 1739, extracts from the opera were also heard at the royal court in Sweden and in London. Over 250 years of obscurity followed until 28 April 2006 when the opera received its first staging in modern times at the Opéra de Nancy directed and conducted by Christophe Rousset
. The Nancy performances by the baroque orchestra Les Talens Lyriques
with Karine Deshayes as Venus and Sébastien Droy as Adonis, were recorded live and released on CD in 2007.
Opera
A plain at dawn with the Château de Marly
in the distance
The nymphs, Mélicerte and Partenope, and Palemon, a shepherd, sing the praises of love and simple pleasures which can now be enjoyed thanks to the peace secured by the "greatest king in the world" (Louis XIV). A dance by the shepherds is interrupted when Diana
arrives in her chariot to recount the tale of Adonis
, where love ended in tragedy.
Festivities are underway for the arrival of Venus
who is to proclaim the new king of Cyprus. Venus arrives and announces that she has chosen Adonis as king, beckoning him to the royal palace. Vénus confesses her love for Adonis to Princess Cidippe, who also secretly loves him. Cidippe warns Venus that her love for Adonis risks angering her lover, Mars
.
Adonis and Venus declare their love for each other and Venus proposes that they announce it to all with a public celebration. Later, she encounters Cidippe and joyfully tells her what has happened. Alone and consumed by disappointed love, Cidippe calls upon Jealousy and her followers to bring an end to the love affair.
Mars is suspicious of the preparations for a celebration and tells his followers that the descent of Venus to earth has aroused his jealousy. He conceals himself in order to discover who her new lover might be. Venus and Adonis arrive accompanied by their attendants and sing of their love. The Graces
and the young men of Cyprus come to pay their respects to the couple but flee when Mars appears. Mars angrily confronts Venus, but she feigns innocence and announces that she is leaving for Paphos
. Mars is reassured until Cidippe tells him that he has been deceived. Together they plan their revenge on Venus and Adonis.
Venus, believing that she has successfully deceived Mars, reassures Adonis and tells him that she must go to Paphos where festivities are being held in her honour. Mars and Cidippe confront Adonis. Mars prepares to kill him, but his hand is stayed by Cidippe who suggests a sacrifice. Mars summons Bellona
, the goddess of war. She and her followers wreak havoc on the city of Amanthus and its people while Mars calls on Diana herself to punish Adonis.
Diana has unleashed a terrible beast who is killing the people of Amanthus, much to the satisfaction of Mars. Cidippe implores him to intervene, but he refuses and ascends to Mount Olympus
. Adonis meets Cidippe as he sets out to slay the monster. Left alone, Cydipe waits in terror until she hears the news that Adonis has triumphed. The people of Amathus give thanks for the bravery of their new king. Eager to find Adonis, Venus returns from Paphos and descends from her chariot amidst dancing and cheers. Cidippe confesses to Venus that she too loves Adonis and it was she who had spurred Mars to anger and vengeance. They then learn that Diana had brought the beast back to life and that it has killed Adonis. Cidippe commits suicide as Venus and the chorus lament the tragic fate of Adonis.
Henri Desmarets
Henri Desmarets was a French composer of the Baroque period primarily known for his stage works, although he also composed sacred music as well as secular cantatas, songs and instrumental works....
to a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Jean-Baptiste Rousseau
Jean-Baptiste Rousseau
Jean-Baptiste Rousseau was a French poet.-Biography:Rousseau was born in Paris, the son of a shoemaker, and was well educated. As a young man, he gained favour with Boileau, who encouraged him to write. Rousseau began with the theatre, for which he had no aptitude...
. Based on the story of Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
and Adonis
Adonis
Adonis , in Greek mythology, the god of beauty and desire, is a figure with Northwest Semitic antecedents, where he is a central figure in various mystery religions. The Greek , Adōnis is a variation of the Semitic word Adonai, "lord", which is also one of the names used to refer to God in the Old...
in Book X of Ovid's Metamorphoses, it was first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique
Académie Royale de Musique
The Salle Le Peletier was the home of the Paris Opera from 1821 until the building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The theatre was designed and constructed by the architect François Debret on the site of the former Hôtel de Choiseul...
in Paris on 28 July 1697 with Marie Le Rochois
Marie Le Rochois
Marie Le Rochois was a French operatic soprano who belonged to the Académie Royale de Musique. She is often referred to as Marthe Le Rochois or simply La Rochois.-Opera career:...
and Louis Gaulard Dumesny
Louis Gaulard Dumesny
Dumesnil was a French operatic tenor . His surname is sometimes found spelt Duménil, Dumény, du Mény, or Du Mesny....
in the title roles. Desmarets staged a major revival of the work with a new prologue at the court of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
Leopold , surnamed the Good, was Duke of Lorraine and Bar from 1690 to his death.-Early life:Leopold Joseph Charles Dominique Agapet Hyacinthe was the son of Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, and his wife Eleonora Maria Josefa of Austria, a half-sister of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor.At the time of...
in 1707. During the composer's lifetime, it was performed in Germany, Belgium and France, but then fell into obscurity. Its first staging in modern times took place at the Opéra de Nancy on 28 April 2006.
Background and performance history
Académie Royale de Musique
The Salle Le Peletier was the home of the Paris Opera from 1821 until the building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The theatre was designed and constructed by the architect François Debret on the site of the former Hôtel de Choiseul...
in Paris. Between 1695 and 1697, Desmarets was working simultaneously on Vénus et Adonis, Les festes galantes (an opéra-ballet
Opéra-ballet
Opéra-ballet was a popular genre of French Baroque opera, "that grew out of the ballets à entrées of the early seventeeth century". It differed from the more elevated tragédie en musique as practised by Jean-Baptiste Lully in several ways...
), and another five-act tragédie en musique, Iphigénie en Tauride
Iphigénie en Tauride
Iphigénie en Tauride is an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck in four acts. It was his fifth opera for the French stage. The libretto was written by Nicolas-François Guillard....
. Vénus et Adonis was the first of the three to premiere, and according to the French musicologist Jean Duron, it was also Desmarets' favourite work. His librettist was Jean-Baptiste Rousseau
Jean-Baptiste Rousseau
Jean-Baptiste Rousseau was a French poet.-Biography:Rousseau was born in Paris, the son of a shoemaker, and was well educated. As a young man, he gained favour with Boileau, who encouraged him to write. Rousseau began with the theatre, for which he had no aptitude...
, who was at the start of his career and only 26 when the opera premiered. The myth of Venus and Adonis as recounted in Book X of Ovid's Metamorphoses held a particular fascination for the poets, artists, and musicians of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
eras and was the inspiration for numerous works. It had been the subject of at least two operas prior to Desmarets and Rousseau's treatment, Mazzocchi
Domenico Mazzocchi
Domenico Mazzocchi was an Italian baroque composer of the generation after Claudio Monteverdi. He was a composer of only vocal music, motets, oratorios and madrigals which have continuo, similar to the late Monteverdi's ones....
's La catena d'Adone
La catena d'Adone
La catena d'Adone is the only surviving opera by the Italian composer Domenico Mazzocchi. It was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito Aldobrandini and first performed at the Palazzo Conti, Rome on February 12, 1626...
(1626) and Blow
John Blow
John Blow was an English Baroque composer and organist, appointed to Westminster Abbey in 1669. His pupils included William Croft, Jeremiah Clarke and Henry Purcell. In 1685 he was named a private musician to James II. His only stage composition, Venus and Adonis John Blow (baptised 23 February...
's Venus and Adonis
Venus and Adonis
Venus and Adonis, a classical myth, was a common subject for art during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Some works which have been titled Venus and Adonis are:-Literary works:...
(1683), as well as Donneau de Visé's play, Les Amours de Vénus et d’Adonis with music by Charpentier
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, , was a French composer of the Baroque era.Exceptionally prolific and versatile, he produced compositions of the highest quality in several genres...
(1669). Rousseau's treatment differed in that he added the character of Cidippe, a Cypriot princess, whose unrequited love for Adonis eventually ends in her suicide.
During the time Desmarets was completing Vénus et Adonis and preparing the cast for its premiere, he was embroiled in a scandal involving his love affair with Marie-Marguerite de Saint-Gobert, the eighteen year old daughter of a high official in Senlis
Senlis, Oise
Senlis is a French commune located in the Oise department near Paris. It has a long and rich heritage, having traversed centuries of history. This medieval town has welcomed some of the most renowned figures in French history, including Hugh Capet, Louis IX, the Marshall of France, Anne of Kiev and...
. Her father was implacably opposed to a marriage, and the couple eloped to Paris in June 1697. Vénus et Adonis premiered on 28 July 1697 with Marie Le Rochois
Marie Le Rochois
Marie Le Rochois was a French operatic soprano who belonged to the Académie Royale de Musique. She is often referred to as Marthe Le Rochois or simply La Rochois.-Opera career:...
as Venus and Louis Gaulard Dumesny
Louis Gaulard Dumesny
Dumesnil was a French operatic tenor . His surname is sometimes found spelt Duménil, Dumény, du Mény, or Du Mesny....
as Adonis. Six months later, Marie-Marguerite gave birth to a son and her father brought a criminal prosecution against Desmarets for seduction and kidnapping which was to last for over two years. Les festes galantes premiered in 1698, but Desmarets left Iphigénie en Tauride unfinished when he and Marie-Marguerite fled France in 1799. Desmarets was condemned to death in absentia and only pardoned some 20 years later.
After several years in exile as the court composer for Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
, Desmarets took up an appointment as master of music at the court of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
Leopold, Duke of Lorraine
Leopold , surnamed the Good, was Duke of Lorraine and Bar from 1690 to his death.-Early life:Leopold Joseph Charles Dominique Agapet Hyacinthe was the son of Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, and his wife Eleonora Maria Josefa of Austria, a half-sister of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor.At the time of...
in Lunéville
Château de Lunéville
The Château de Lunéville which had belonged to the Dukes of Lorraine since the thirteenth century, was rebuilt as “the Versailles of Lorraine” by Duke Léopold from 1703 to 1723, from designs of Pierre Bourdict and Nicolas Dorbay and then of the architect Germain Boffrand, whose masterwork it became...
. There he revived Vénus et Adonis on 15 November 1707 to celebrate the Duke's name day
Name day
A name day is a tradition in many countries in Europe and Latin America that consists of celebrating the day of the year associated with one's given name....
. Desmarets had dedicated Vénus et Adonis to his long-time patron Louis XIV and set the prologue on the plains of Marly-le-Roi
Marly-le-Roi
Marly-le-Roi is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the centre....
with Louis XIV's famous leisure residence, Château de Marly
Château de Marly
The Château de Marly was a relatively small French royal residence located in what has become Marly-le-Roi, the commune that existed at the edge of the royal park. The town that originally grew up to service the château is now a dormitory community for Paris....
in the background. For the 1707 Lunéville performances, Desmarets and Rousseau created a completely new prologue set in the gardens of Duke Leopold's château. In the ensuing years Vénus et Adonis was performed at the court of Charles III in Baden-Durlach (1713), La Monnaie
La Monnaie
Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie , or the Koninklijke Muntschouwburg is a theatre in Brussels, Belgium....
in Brussels (1714), the Académie Royale de Musique with the Duchesse de Berry
Marie Louise Elisabeth d'Orléans
Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans, Duchess of Berry , was a member of the House of Orléans who married Charles, Duke of Berry.-Biography:...
in attendance (1717), in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
performed in French but with a comic prologue in German (1725), and in Lyon (1739). Between 1714 and 1739, extracts from the opera were also heard at the royal court in Sweden and in London. Over 250 years of obscurity followed until 28 April 2006 when the opera received its first staging in modern times at the Opéra de Nancy directed and conducted by Christophe Rousset
Christophe Rousset
Christophe Rousset is a French harpsichordist and conductor, specializing in the performance of baroque music on period instruments.-Biography:...
. The Nancy performances by the baroque orchestra Les Talens Lyriques
Les Talens Lyriques
Les Talens Lyriques is a baroque orchestra founded in 1991 by French conductor Christophe Rousset.The ensemble takes its name from Jean-Philippe Rameau's opéra-ballet Les fêtes d'Hébé ou les talens lyriques .- External links :...
with Karine Deshayes as Venus and Sébastien Droy as Adonis, were recorded live and released on CD in 2007.
Roles
Prologue (original Paris Version)- Mélicerte, a nymphNymphA nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
- Partenope, a nymph
- Palémon, a shepherd
- DianaDiana (mythology)In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
Opera
- AdonisAdonisAdonis , in Greek mythology, the god of beauty and desire, is a figure with Northwest Semitic antecedents, where he is a central figure in various mystery religions. The Greek , Adōnis is a variation of the Semitic word Adonai, "lord", which is also one of the names used to refer to God in the Old...
(haute-contreHaute-contreThe haute-contre is a rare type of high tenor voice, predominant in French Baroque and Classical opera until the latter part of the eighteenth century.-History:...
) – created by Louis Gaulard DumesnyLouis Gaulard DumesnyDumesnil was a French operatic tenor . His surname is sometimes found spelt Duménil, Dumény, du Mény, or Du Mesny.... - VenusVenus (mythology)Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
(sopranoSopranoA soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
) – created by Marie Le RochoisMarie Le RochoisMarie Le Rochois was a French operatic soprano who belonged to the Académie Royale de Musique. She is often referred to as Marthe Le Rochois or simply La Rochois.-Opera career:... - Cidippe, a princess of CyprusCyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
(soprano) – created by Marie-Louise Desmatins - MarsMars (mythology)Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
(bassBass (voice type)A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
) – created by Charles HardouinCharles HardouinCharles Hardouin was a French operatic baritone .Beginning his career as a cathedral singer, Hardouin was engaged by the Paris Opéra as a principal singer around 1693-1694, though from 1697 onwards he was eclipsed by the more powerful Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard... - BellonaBellona (goddess)Bellona was an Ancient Roman goddess of war, similar to the Ancient Greek Enyo. Bellona's attribute is a sword and she is depicted wearing a helmet and armed with a spear and a torch....
- Jealousy
- A follower of Mars
- An inhabitant of Cyprus
Prologue
Château de Marly
The Château de Marly was a relatively small French royal residence located in what has become Marly-le-Roi, the commune that existed at the edge of the royal park. The town that originally grew up to service the château is now a dormitory community for Paris....
in the distance
The nymphs, Mélicerte and Partenope, and Palemon, a shepherd, sing the praises of love and simple pleasures which can now be enjoyed thanks to the peace secured by the "greatest king in the world" (Louis XIV). A dance by the shepherds is interrupted when Diana
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
arrives in her chariot to recount the tale of Adonis
Adonis
Adonis , in Greek mythology, the god of beauty and desire, is a figure with Northwest Semitic antecedents, where he is a central figure in various mystery religions. The Greek , Adōnis is a variation of the Semitic word Adonai, "lord", which is also one of the names used to refer to God in the Old...
, where love ended in tragedy.
Act 1
The island of CyprusFestivities are underway for the arrival of Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
who is to proclaim the new king of Cyprus. Venus arrives and announces that she has chosen Adonis as king, beckoning him to the royal palace. Vénus confesses her love for Adonis to Princess Cidippe, who also secretly loves him. Cidippe warns Venus that her love for Adonis risks angering her lover, Mars
Mars (mythology)
Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
.
Act 2
Inside the royal palaceAdonis and Venus declare their love for each other and Venus proposes that they announce it to all with a public celebration. Later, she encounters Cidippe and joyfully tells her what has happened. Alone and consumed by disappointed love, Cidippe calls upon Jealousy and her followers to bring an end to the love affair.
Act 3
A garden prepared for the celebrations of Venus and AdonisMars is suspicious of the preparations for a celebration and tells his followers that the descent of Venus to earth has aroused his jealousy. He conceals himself in order to discover who her new lover might be. Venus and Adonis arrive accompanied by their attendants and sing of their love. The Graces
Charites
In Greek mythology, a Charis is one of several Charites , goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility. They ordinarily numbered three, from youngest to oldest: Aglaea , Euphrosyne , and Thalia . In Roman mythology they were known as the Gratiae, the "Graces"...
and the young men of Cyprus come to pay their respects to the couple but flee when Mars appears. Mars angrily confronts Venus, but she feigns innocence and announces that she is leaving for Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
. Mars is reassured until Cidippe tells him that he has been deceived. Together they plan their revenge on Venus and Adonis.
Act 4
The city of AmathusAmathus
Amathus was one of the most ancient royal cities of Cyprus, on the southern coast in front of Agios Tychonas, about 24 miles west of Larnaca and 6 miles east of Limassol...
Venus, believing that she has successfully deceived Mars, reassures Adonis and tells him that she must go to Paphos where festivities are being held in her honour. Mars and Cidippe confront Adonis. Mars prepares to kill him, but his hand is stayed by Cidippe who suggests a sacrifice. Mars summons Bellona
Bellona
-Places:United States of America*Bellona Foundry and adjacent Bellona Arsenal, 19th century United States Army and Confederate munitions factory and depot in VirginiaItaly*Bellona, Campania, a comune in the Province of CasertaSolomon Islands...
, the goddess of war. She and her followers wreak havoc on the city of Amanthus and its people while Mars calls on Diana herself to punish Adonis.
Act 5
The ruins of Amathus and the surrounding countrysideDiana has unleashed a terrible beast who is killing the people of Amanthus, much to the satisfaction of Mars. Cidippe implores him to intervene, but he refuses and ascends to Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
. Adonis meets Cidippe as he sets out to slay the monster. Left alone, Cydipe waits in terror until she hears the news that Adonis has triumphed. The people of Amathus give thanks for the bravery of their new king. Eager to find Adonis, Venus returns from Paphos and descends from her chariot amidst dancing and cheers. Cidippe confesses to Venus that she too loves Adonis and it was she who had spurred Mars to anger and vengeance. They then learn that Diana had brought the beast back to life and that it has killed Adonis. Cidippe commits suicide as Venus and the chorus lament the tragic fate of Adonis.
Recording
- Vénus et Adonis, Les Talens LyriquesLes Talens LyriquesLes Talens Lyriques is a baroque orchestra founded in 1991 by French conductor Christophe Rousset.The ensemble takes its name from Jean-Philippe Rameau's opéra-ballet Les fêtes d'Hébé ou les talens lyriques .- External links :...
, conducted by Christophe RoussetChristophe RoussetChristophe Rousset is a French harpsichordist and conductor, specializing in the performance of baroque music on period instruments.-Biography:...
. Karine Deshayes (Venus), Sébastien Droy (Adonis), Henk Neven (Mars), Anna Maria Panzarella (Cidippe). Recorded live at the Opéra de Nancy, April–May 2006 (2 CDs, Naïve RecordsNaïve RecordsNaïve Records is a French independent record label based in Paris, specializing in electronic music, pop music, jazz and classical music. It was founded in 1997 by Patrick Zelnik, Gilles Paires and Eric Tong Cuong.-Artists:* Aṣa* Asian Dub Foundation...
, 2007)
Sources
- Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Desmarets". Almanacco Amadeus. Accessed 5 February 2011.
- Duron, Jean and Ferraton, Yves (2005). Henry Desmarest (1661-1741): Exils d'un musicien dans l'Europe du grand siècle. Centre de musique baroque de Versailles/Editions Mardaga. ISBN 2870098863
- Duron, Jean and Ferraton, Yves (2006). Vénus & Adonis (1697): Tragédie en musique de Henry Desmarest: livret, études et commentaires. Centre de musique baroque de Versailles/Editions Mardaga. ISBN 2870099207
- Mahdavi, Medi (28 April 2006). Review: "Les amours contrariées de Vénus et Adonis". Altamusica. Accessed 28 March 2011 .
- Wood, Caroline (2001) "Desmarets [Desmarest, Desmaretz, Desmarais], Henry". Grove Music Online. Accessed 5 February 2011. . (Online version of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd edition. ISBN 9780195170672)
External links
- Complete score at the International Music Score Library ProjectInternational Music Score Library ProjectThe International Music Score Library Project , also known as the Petrucci Music Library after publisher Ottaviano Petrucci, is a project for the creation of a virtual library of public domain music scores, based on the wiki principle...
- Libretto on operabaroque.fr
- Synopsis on operabaroque.fr