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Lully: Persée

Cyril Auvity, Marie Lenormand, Stephanie Novacek, Monica Whicher, Olivier Laquerre, Alain Coulombe, Colin Ainsworth, Vilma Vitols, Curtis Sullivan, Michiel Schrey, Directed for Stage by Marshall Pynkoski
Tafelmusik Chamber Choir; Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
Hervé Niquet

In his position as the king’s composer, Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) created the opera Persée for Louis XIV. The opera was considered the crowning achievement of 17th century French music theatre and was widely recognized as Lully’s greatest work. Filled with dancing, fight scenes, monsters and special effects, this truly spectacular music drama recounts the thrilling story of Perseus, son of Zeus and heroic vanquisher of the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa. More than half a century after its premiere, Louis XV chose “Persée” to open the new Royal Opera House at the Chateau de Versailles, an event that formed part of the celebrations for the future Louis XVI’s marriage to Marie Antoinette.
Recorded live at the Elgin Theatre, Toronto in April 2004, this staging is a dazzling spectacle of gods and goddesses, dancing scenes, flying machines and monsters with fight scenes and special effects inspired by designs from the original 17th century performance.
The excellent singer-actors and the “Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir” are leading specialists in early music.

Repertoire

Jean-Baptiste Lully: Persée

Facts DVD

Item number
2054178
UPC number
880242541789
Region code
0
Picture format
NTSC 16:9
Sound format
PCM Stereo
Dolby Digital 5.1
dts 5.1
Release
Total running time
127 mins
Subtitles
English, French, German
Booklet notes
English, French, German
No. of discs
1
Recording
2004