Les Indes galantes
Encyclopedia
Les Indes galantes is an opéra-ballet
consisting of a prologue and four entrées (acts) by Jean-Philippe Rameau
with libretto by Louis Fuzelier
. The première, including only the first three entrées, took place in Paris
at the Académie Royale de Musique et Danse
on 23 August 1735 with Mlle Pélissier as Emilie, Mme Petitpas as Fatima, Mme Antier as Phani, Jelyotte as Valère and don Carlos, de Chasse as Huascar and Tribou as Tacmas. Dupré
provided the choreography, which was danced by Mlles Mariette, LeBreton, Sallé
, and Messieurs Dupré, Maltayre, DuMoulin, Javillier and Corps de Ballet. Chéron conducted. The Third "Entrée", known as the Entrée des Fleurs, was not well received and was revised after the fourth performance with Mlles Petipas as Fatima, Eremans as Atalide and Bourbonnais as Roxane, and Tribou as Tacmas.
Nevertheless, parts of it were revived from time to time: the Prologue in 1762 (20 performances) and 1771 (26 performances); the Entrée des Incas in 1771 (11 performances) and the Entrée des Sauvages in 1773 (22 performances). Thereafter, the Académie Royale (Paris Opéra) abandoned this work for 179 years. The Opéra-Comique
presented the Third entrée, the Entrée des Fleurs, with a new orchestration by Paul Dukas
, on 30 May 1925, with Yvonne Brothier
as Zaïre, Antoinette Reville as Fatima, Miguel Villabella as Tacmas and Emile Rousseau as Ali, and Maurice Frigara
conducting.
Finally, there was a reprise at the Opéra itself, the Salle Garnier of the Académie Nationale de Musique et Danse, with the Dukas orchestration supplemented for the other entrées with music by Henri Busser
, the 186th performance, on 18 June 1952, with sets by Arbus, Jacques Dupont, Wakhévitch, Carzou, Fost, Moulène and Chapelain-Midy for a production by the Académie's own director, Maurice Lehmann.
In the 1st Entrée ("The Gracious Turk"), Jacqueline Brumaire
sang Emilie, Jean Giraudeau
was Valère and Hugo Santana was Osman. The dances were choreographed by the André Aveline and danced by Mlle Bourgeois and M Legrand. In the 2nd Entrée, ("The Incas of Peru"), Marisa Ferrer was Phani, Georges Noré was don Carlos, and René Bianco was Huascar. Serge Lifar
choreographed what he himself danced, with Vyroubova and Bozzoni. The 3rd Entrée, ("The Flowers") had Janine Micheau
as Fatima, side by side with Denise Duval
as Zaïre. Giraudeau was Tacmas and Jacques Jansen
, the famous Pelléas, was Ali.
Harald Lander
choreographed this act, with Mlle Bardin as the Rose, Mlle Dayde as the Butterfly, Ritz as Zéphir and Renault as a Persian. The 4th Entrée, ("The Savages of America"), had Mme Géori Boué
, as Zima, with José Luccioni
as Adario, Raoul Jobin
as Damon and Roger Bourdin
as don Alvar. Lifar again choreographed the dancing for this act, executed by Mlles Darsonval, Lafon and Guillot and Messieurs Kalioujny and Efimoff. Louis Fourestier conducted.
In total, there were 246 performances of the revival by the end of 1961.
Valere has been roaming the world seeking his love, Emilie, captured by Valere's former servant Osman. When he finds them both, a repentant Osman releases his captive so that she may be reunited with her former lover.
Represents the rivalry of the Inca Huascar and the Spaniard Don Carlos, both in pursuit of Princess Phani. Wonderful eruption of a volcano is the central moment of this act.
A Persian love intrigue in which prince Tacmas is in love with his favourite, Ali's, slave Zaire. Tacmas's slave Fatime in turn is in love with Ali.
Set in North America, where a Spaniard and a Frenchman compete for the love of Zima, daughter of a native chief, who prefers one of her own people.
(Philips) and Gérard Souzay
(DECCA) have left recorded performances of Huascar's Invocation au Soleil (from the Peruvian Entrée), a seminal piece in the history of French musical drama.
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...
consisting of a prologue and four entrées (acts) 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...
with libretto by Louis Fuzelier
Louis Fuzelier
Louis Fuzelier was a French dramatic author who was born in Paris in 1672 and died in the same city on September 19, 1752. He wrote more than 200 plays for the théâtres de la foire , alone or in collaboration with Alain-Rene Lesage, Alexis Piron or d'Orneval.Fuzelier wrote the libretto les Indes...
. The première, including only the first three entrées, took place 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...
at the Académie Royale de Musique et Danse
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...
on 23 August 1735 with Mlle Pélissier as Emilie, Mme Petitpas as Fatima, Mme Antier as Phani, Jelyotte as Valère and don Carlos, de Chasse as Huascar and Tribou as Tacmas. Dupré
Louis Dupré
Louis Dupré was a French ballet dancer, ballet master and ballet teacher.-Life:Probably first dancing in child rôles under the name "petit Dupré", he made his official débuts at the Académie royale de musique in 1714 and became its ballet master in 1739. From 1725 to 1730, he regularly put on...
provided the choreography, which was danced by Mlles Mariette, LeBreton, Sallé
Marie Sallé
Marie Sallé was a French dancer and choreographer known for her expressive, dramatic performances rather than a series of "leaps and frolics" typical of ballet of her time...
, and Messieurs Dupré, Maltayre, DuMoulin, Javillier and Corps de Ballet. Chéron conducted. The Third "Entrée", known as the Entrée des Fleurs, was not well received and was revised after the fourth performance with Mlles Petipas as Fatima, Eremans as Atalide and Bourbonnais as Roxane, and Tribou as Tacmas.
Performance history
At the revival of Les Indes galantes on 10 March 1736, the 30th performance of the work, a Fourth entrée was added, with Mme Pélissier as Zima, Jelyotte as Damon and Dun as don Alvar. The complete work was played for the 185th and last time in 1761.Nevertheless, parts of it were revived from time to time: the Prologue in 1762 (20 performances) and 1771 (26 performances); the Entrée des Incas in 1771 (11 performances) and the Entrée des Sauvages in 1773 (22 performances). Thereafter, the Académie Royale (Paris Opéra) abandoned this work for 179 years. The Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
presented the Third entrée, the Entrée des Fleurs, with a new orchestration by Paul Dukas
Paul Dukas
Paul Abraham Dukas was a French composer, critic, scholar and teacher. A studious man, of retiring personality, he was intensely self-critical, and he abandoned and destroyed many of his compositions...
, on 30 May 1925, with Yvonne Brothier
Yvonne Brothier
Yvonne Brothier was a soprano operatic singer who worked principally at the Opéra-Comique, Paris....
as Zaïre, Antoinette Reville as Fatima, Miguel Villabella as Tacmas and Emile Rousseau as Ali, and Maurice Frigara
Maurice Frigara
Maurice Frigara was a French conductor of Corsican descent, mainly active in the opera house.-Career:Frigara studied under Charles Dancla, Lambert Massart and Benjamin Godard at the Paris Conservatoire....
conducting.
Finally, there was a reprise at the Opéra itself, the Salle Garnier of the Académie Nationale de Musique et Danse, with the Dukas orchestration supplemented for the other entrées with music by Henri Busser
Henri Büsser
Henri Büsser was a French classical composer, organist, and conductor.- Biography :Paul-Henri Büsser was born in Toulouse, of partly Teutonic ancestry. He entered the Conservatoire in Paris in 1889; there he studied organ with César Franck and composition with Ernest Guiraud...
, the 186th performance, on 18 June 1952, with sets by Arbus, Jacques Dupont, Wakhévitch, Carzou, Fost, Moulène and Chapelain-Midy for a production by the Académie's own director, Maurice Lehmann.
In the 1st Entrée ("The Gracious Turk"), Jacqueline Brumaire
Jacqueline Brumaire
Jacqueline Brumaire was a French operatic soprano and later teacher.-Life and career:...
sang Emilie, Jean Giraudeau
Jean Giraudeau
Jean Giraudeau, born Toulon, 1 July 1916, died 7 February 1995, was a French tenor, and later theatre director, particularly associated with the Opéra-Comique in Paris, and described as having a “lyrical voice” as well as being “a superb character actor”....
was Valère and Hugo Santana was Osman. The dances were choreographed by the André Aveline and danced by Mlle Bourgeois and M Legrand. In the 2nd Entrée, ("The Incas of Peru"), Marisa Ferrer was Phani, Georges Noré was don Carlos, and René Bianco was Huascar. Serge Lifar
Serge Lifar
Serge Lifar ; 15 December 1986) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer of Ukrainian origin, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century.-Biography:Lifar was born in Kiev, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire...
choreographed what he himself danced, with Vyroubova and Bozzoni. The 3rd Entrée, ("The Flowers") had Janine Micheau
Janine Micheau
Janine Micheau was a French singer, one of the leading lyric sopranos of her era in France.Janine Micheau was born in Toulouse, and studied voice at the Paris Conservatoire...
as Fatima, side by side with Denise Duval
Denise Duval
Denise Duval is a French soprano, best known for her performances in works by the composer Francis Poulenc. Duval created the roles of Elle in La voix humaine, Thérèse in Les mamelles de Tirésias and later excelled in the role of Blanche de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites, although she did...
as Zaïre. Giraudeau was Tacmas and Jacques Jansen
Jacques Jansen
Jacques Jansen was a French baryton-martin singer, particularly associated with the role of Pelléas but also active in operetta and on the concert platform, and later as a teacher.-Life and career:Jansen had a wide musical and artistic education; after studying the violin in Paris, he took lessons...
, the famous Pelléas, was Ali.
Harald Lander
Harald Lander
Harald Lander is a Danish dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet.Lander started as a dancer, studying under ballet master Michel Fokine in 1926-27...
choreographed this act, with Mlle Bardin as the Rose, Mlle Dayde as the Butterfly, Ritz as Zéphir and Renault as a Persian. The 4th Entrée, ("The Savages of America"), had Mme Géori Boué
Géori Boué
Georgette "Géori" Boué is a French soprano, particularly associated with the French repertory, especially Thais. She was born in Toulouse.- Life and career :...
, as Zima, with José Luccioni
José Luccioni
José Luccioni was a French operatic tenor of Corsican origin. He possessed one of the best dramatic voices of the 1930s and 1940s....
as Adario, Raoul Jobin
Raoul Jobin
Raoul Jobin, was a French-Canadian operatic tenor, particularly associated with the French repertory.- Life and career :...
as Damon and Roger Bourdin
Roger Bourdin
Roger Bourdin was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory. His career was largely based in France.- Life and career :...
as don Alvar. Lifar again choreographed the dancing for this act, executed by Mlles Darsonval, Lafon and Guillot and Messieurs Kalioujny and Efimoff. Louis Fourestier conducted.
In total, there were 246 performances of the revival by the end of 1961.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, August 23, 1735 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Prologue | ||
| Hébé | 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... |
Mlle Eremans (also spelled Erremans) |
| L' Amour | soprano en travesti En travesti Travesti is a theatrical term referring to the portrayal of a character in an opera, play, or ballet by a performer of the opposite sex. Some sources regard 'travesti' as an Italian term, some as French. Depending on sources, the term may be given as travesty, travesti, or en travesti... |
Mlle Petitpas |
| Bellone | baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or... en travesti |
Cuignier |
| Act 1 | ||
| Emilie | soprano | Marie Pélissier |
| Valère | haute-contre Haute-contre The 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:... |
Pierre Jélyotte Pierre Jélyotte Pierre Jélyotte was a French operatic tenor, particularly associated with works by Rameau, Lully, Campra, and Destouches.-Life and career:... |
| Osman | baritone | Jean Dun "fils" |
| Act 2 | ||
| Phani | soprano | Marie Antier |
| Don Carlos | haute-contre | Pierre Jélyotte |
| Huascar | baritone | Claude-Louis-Dominique Chassé de Chinais |
| Act 3 | ||
| Fatime | soprano | Mlle Petitpas |
| Zaïre | soprano | Mlle Eremans |
| Tacmas | haute-contre | Denis-François Tribou |
| Ali | baritone | Person |
| Act 4 | ||
| Zima | soprano | Marie Pélissier |
| Adario | tenor (taille Baritenor Baritenor is a musical term formed by a blend of the words "baritone" and "tenor". It is used to describe both baritone and tenor voices. In Webster's Third New International Dictionary it is defined as "a baritone singing voice with virtually a tenor range"... ) |
Louis-Antoine Cuvillier (or Cuvilier or Cuvelier) |
| Damon | haute-contre | Pierre Jélyotte |
| Don Alvar | baritone | Jean Dun "fils" |
Act 1
Le Turc généreux (The Gracious Turk)Valere has been roaming the world seeking his love, Emilie, captured by Valere's former servant Osman. When he finds them both, a repentant Osman releases his captive so that she may be reunited with her former lover.
Act 2
Les Incas du Pérou (The Incas of Peru)Represents the rivalry of the Inca Huascar and the Spaniard Don Carlos, both in pursuit of Princess Phani. Wonderful eruption of a volcano is the central moment of this act.
Act 3
Les Fleurs (The Flowers)A Persian love intrigue in which prince Tacmas is in love with his favourite, Ali's, slave Zaire. Tacmas's slave Fatime in turn is in love with Ali.
Act 4
Les Sauvages (The Savages of America)Set in North America, where a Spaniard and a Frenchman compete for the love of Zima, daughter of a native chief, who prefers one of her own people.
Recordings
Both Camille MauraneCamille Maurane
Camille Maurane, born Camille Moreau , was a French baritone singer. His father was a music teacher and he started singing as a child in the Maîtrise Saint-Evode in Rouen...
(Philips) and Gérard Souzay
Gérard Souzay
Gérard Souzay was a French baritone singer, regarded as one of the very finest interpreters of mélodie in the generation after Charles Panzéra and Pierre Bernac.-Background and education:...
(DECCA) have left recorded performances of Huascar's Invocation au Soleil (from the Peruvian Entrée), a seminal piece in the history of French musical drama.
- Gerda Hartman, Jennifer Smith (sopranos); Louis Devos, John Elwes (tenors); Philippe Huttenlocher (baritone). The Ensemble Vocal à Coeur-Joie de Valence and the Orchestre Jean-François Paillard, Valence conducted by Jean-François Paillard. Recorded in 1974. ERATO 4509-95310-2
- Miriam Ruggeri (soprano), Bernard Delétré (bass), Howard Crook (tenor), Nicolas Rivenq (baritone), Noémi Rime (soprano), Sandrine PiauSandrine PiauSandrine Piau is an opera soprano. Trained as a harpist, she studied voice at the Collège Lamartine and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique du Paris....
(soprano), Jean-Paul Fouchécourt (tenor), Jérôme Corréas (baritone), Isabelle Poulenard (soprano), Claron McFadden (soprano). The Ensemble of Les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie. Released 12/1992 on 3CDs. Duration 3 hours 13 mins. Harmonia Mundi 901367 - Valérie Gabail, Nicolas Cavallier, Patricia PetibonPatricia PetibonPatricia Petibon is a French coloratura soprano who has been acclaimed for her interpretations of French Baroque music.-Biography:...
, Paul AgnewPaul AgnewPaul Agnew is a Scottish operatic tenor.Agnew read music as a Choral Scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. He became associated with the Consort of Musicke, the Tallis Scholars, the Sixteen and the Gothic Voices, before embarking on a solo career in the early 1990s.Closely associated with William...
, Jaël Azzaretti, Danielle de NieseDanielle de NieseDanielle de Niese is a lyric soprano. After success as a young child in singing competitions in Australia, she moved to the USA where she developed an operatic career...
, Anna Maria Panzarella, Nicolas Rivenq. The Ensemble of Les Arts FlorissantsLes Arts Florissants (ensemble)Les Arts Florissants is a Baroque musical ensemble in residence at the Théâtre de Caen in Caen, France. The organization was founded by conductor William Christie in 1979. The ensemble derives its name from the 1685 opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The organization consists of a chamber orchestra...
conducted by William ChristieWilliam Christie (musician)William Lincoln Christie is an American-born French conductor and harpsichordist. He is noted as a specialist in baroque repertoire and as the founder of the ensemble Les Arts Florissants....
. Released 08/2005 on 2 DVDs. BBC/Opus Arte Catalog No. 923
External links
- Short Synopsis of Les Indes galantes from NAXOS.COM
- Review of Les Indes galantes
- [ Description of Les Indes galantes]
- "Les Indes galantes" Libretto