Acante et Céphise, ou La sympathie is an opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 by Jean-Philippe Rameau

Jean-Philippe Rameau

Jean-Philippe Rameau was one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the Baroque era. He replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and is also considered the leading French composer for the harpsichord of his time, alongside François...

, first performed on 19 November 1751 at the Opéra in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

. It takes the form of a pastorale héroïque

Pastorale héroïque

Pastorale héroïque was a type of ballet héroïque, a form of the opéra-ballet genre of French Baroque opera. The first work to bear the name was Jean-Baptiste Lully's final completed opera Acis et Galatée , although musical works on pastoral themes had already appeared on the French stage...

in three acts. The librettist

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...

 was Jean-François Marmontel

Jean-François Marmontel

Jean-François Marmontel was a French historian and writer, a member of the Encyclopediste movement.-Biography:He was born of poor parents at Bort, Limousin...

. The opera was written to celebrate the birth of the Duke of Burgundy

Duke of Burgundy

Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...

, the elder brother of the future King Louis XVI. The plot concerns a pair of lovers, Acante and Céphise, who suffer at the hands of a wicked genie

Genie

Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...

 Oroès. They are saved by the good fairy Ziriphile, who uses her magic powers, including the gift of telepathy

Telepathy

Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...

 (the sympathie of the title), to defeat Oroès. The work is richly scored and contains the first surviving use of clarinet

Clarinet

The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...

s in a French opera. They appear in the overture

Overture

Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...

, which contains a section imitating the firework display celebrating the birth of the duke.

Act 1

Céphise is distraught, knowing that an evil Genie loves her and is jealous of the fact that she loves Achante. Their guardian fairy, Zirphile, seems unable to defend her against him or to save Achante from his jealous rage. Zirphile reassures them that destiny has decreed that she will eventually have power over the Genie, but not yet. She must leave them to consult with the Gods and learn how this will come about. In her absence she hopes to protect them through the power of a magic ring. This will unites the lovers in a sort of telepathic bond, so that whatever one feels, the other will feel simultaneously. In that way, if the Genie punishes or even kills his rival Achante, he will also torment or kill the object of his affections.. Achante resists the charm as he does not wish Céphise to suffer either, but Zirphile compels her followers to enact the secret spell.
The Genie arrives in a fury and orders Achante to be taken away. He tries to break down Céphise’s resistance with the vision of power and riches that an alliance with an immortal might provide. His suite add their persuasions, but she is adamant. Céphise feels the distress of Achante, imprisoned elsewhere… The Genie is at first confused by her communication with the absent lover. Then he recognises the work of Zirphile and realises that he must bring Achante back if Céphise is not to expire. Reunited, the lovers try to appeal to the Genie’s better side. He leaves them the rest of the day together, but after that… Achante suggests that they use the time to consult the oracle in the temple of love.

Act 2

The Genie has also sought advice in the temple but his questions remain unanswered. Among a crowd of happy and unhappy lovers, Achante and Céphise in their turn consult the oracle. Speaking through the High Priestess, the oracle decrees that when all hearts give themselves joyfully to love then these lovers will be united. It seems an impossible task, since love is so often combined with suffering. The two set about restoring harmony between the unhappy lovers.
The Genie seems to have relented. The wish to make Céphise happy has overcome his hatred for Achante. He offers to marry them himself in the temple of love. Seizing a moment aside with Achante, the Genie reveals that he has guessed the existence of Zirphile’s spell. He asks Achante for the secret – when it is not forthcoming he reveals his true vengeful feelings and promises to torture them both.

Act 3

The lovers are being chained to rocks by the Genie’s minions. They feel that love and Zirphile have both abandoned them. They decide to die together. The Genie summons his demons to complete the task. Just as Achante’s nerve breaks and he implores the Genie to stop, Zirphile arrives. She brings news that a son has been born to the Bourbon dynasty and this is apparently sufficient reason for happiness to reign throughout. There is a great deal of dancing.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, November 19, 1751 (Conductor: - )
Achante	tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...	Pierre Jélyotte Pierre Jélyotte Pierre Jélyotte was a French operatic tenor, particularly associated with works by Rameau, Lully, Campra, and Destouches.-Life and career:...
Céphise	soprano Soprano A 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...	Marie Fel Marie Fel Marie Fel was a French opera singer, daughter of the organist Henri Fel.Marie Fel was born at Bordeaux. She made her debut at the Paris Opera in 1733 and sang regularly at the Concert Spirituel...
Oroès	bass	Monsieur Chassé
Zirphile	soprano	Mlle Chevallier
Une fée	soprano	Mlle Coupée
La grande prêtresse	soprano	Mlle Romainville
Délie	soprano	Mlle Puvignée