Organization

Singer

Perrine Devillers

No role specified

Lieselot De Wilde

Yannis François

Nicholas Merryweather

Lucile Richardot

Antonin Rondepierre

Stage director

Jos Houben

Emily Wilson

Conductor

Sébastien Daucé

Lighting designer

Christophe Schaeffer

Costume designer

Oria Puppo

Set designer

Dramaturge

Katherina Lindekens

Production of costumes and masks

Sabine Schlemmer

Julia Brochier

Fiama Bennett

Actors

Soufiane Guerraoui

Instrumentalist

Thibaut Roussel

Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing

Athénée Théâtre Louis-Jouvet

Opéra Royal de Versailles

Opéra de Rennes

Opéra de Rouen Normandie

Théâtres de Compiègne

Théâtre de Caen

Orchestra

Ensemble Correspondances

English

Cupid and Death

Versailles

France

Opéra Royal

Cupid and Death Locke

Private

French

Approved

Cupid and Death Locke4

Théâtre de l'Athénée Louis-Jouvetdu 18 au 27 novembre 202120h, 16h le dimancheNés au XVIe siècle en Angleterre, les « masques », ou plutôt masks, avaient pou...

Teaser "Cupid and Death" (Cupidon et la mort) - Ensemble Correspondances, Sébastien Daucé

Mask in five entries on a libretto by James Shirley based on Aesop's fables created in London in 1653.

English opera had its beginnings with the Cupid and Death mask , created in 1653 by Matthew Locke (1621-1677) in front of the Portuguese ambassador in London, and the only mask musical score preserved. The subject is taken from Aesop: Death and Cupid, staying in the same inn, are victims of the Chamberlain who during the night exchanges their bows, therefore their roles, Cupid then killing the young lovers with his arrows, and Death bringing back the old men dying to life - who fall in love! - which causes absolute chaos, and a comic imbroglio. Dance, music and drama were summoned to serve this project where James Shirley (1596-1666) wrote the dramatic text, and Christopher Gibbons (1615-1676) the instrumental interludes.

English masks, shows that are ultimately quite similar to the first French court ballets, forcefully integrate a supernatural dimension. The lyrical quality brought by Locke makes Cupid and Death the precursor of the semi-opera, which will develop from 1670, and of which Purcell (Locke's pupil) will be the most brilliant composer. Matthew Locke was a leading English musicians of the mid XVII th century, ordinary composer of Her Majesty and organist of the Chapel Royal, writing in 1660 for the coronation of King Charles II.

A fine connoisseur of this pivotal period of the First Baroque, Sébastien Daucé brings together his team of magnificent singers and instrumentalists, and lets Jos Houben and Emily Wilson build a theater of the origins, a real machine of surprises that serves the funny mystery of this curious joust between Death and love.

Cupid and Death by Locke, From (2022/2022), Directed by Jos Houben, Emily Wilson,, Conductor Sébastien Daucé, Opéra Royal, Versailles, France

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

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