Philémon et Baucis
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| Operas by Charles Gounod |
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Sapho (1851, rev. 1884) |
Philémon et Baucis (Philemon and Baucis) is an opera in three acts by Charles Gounod with a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. The opera is based on the tale of Baucis and Philemon as told by La Fontaine (derived in turn from Ovid's Metamorphoses Book VIII). The piece was intended to capitalise on the vogue for mythological comedy started by Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, but Philémon et Baucis is less satirically biting and more sentimental.
Originally intended as a two-act piece for the music festival at Baden-Baden, it was instead first performed at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris on 18 February 1860 because of the political situation in 1859. The new version added a middle act with chorus depicting Jupiter's distruction of the impious neighbors (by fire instead of flood) .
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, February 18, 1860 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Philémon | tenor | Froment (singer) |
| Baucis | soprano | Marie Caroline Miolan-Carvalho |
| Jupiter | bass | Battaille |
| Vulcan | bass | Balanqué |
| Bacchante | soprano | Sax |
[edit] Sources
- The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
- Steven Huebner, The Operas of Charles Gounod (Oxford 1990)
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