It's Lully Time!

[James C. Fretz]

I am rather new here. Reviewing the archives I failed to see any threads about French baroque opera. Pardon, if I missed one; after a while the search began to feel rather meaningless and I was willing to call it quits.

While I do have a rather long history appreciating the operas of Rameau, it turns out that I'd never been quite comfortable listening to those of Monsieur Lully. There was a rigid formality of structure (both musical and textural) which fairly well turned me off to any charms it might otherwise have wielded. Yet, very recently, I seem to have entered upon a new phase, one of "gob-smacked"appreciation, mystifying in its own right.

I suppose the moral is: "Never say never!"

Part of the reason must be attributed to the DVD. Lully on the CD player (or vinyl) can be deadly deadly dull...and so it was for me.

Enter Wm. Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Robert Carsen, Francois Roussillon and Théâtre des Champs-Elysées:

http://image.betamonline.com/sdimage...0002003084.jpg

Stéphanie d'Oustrac (the grand-niece of Francis Poulenc) is Armide in the Lully opera. Her Renaud...Paul Agnew.

This is vibrant, sexy production which grabs from start to finish. Carsen makes wonderful use of the Prologue (a bit in French baroque opera which can always....ALWAYS seems dreadfully dull, all those comparisons of Louis Quatorze to mythological heros) by leading a of modern day tourists through Versailles. A brilliant alternative, to be sure. It works, and to show it does Carsen employs it as well in the final moments.

I just wanted post an alert for this production. Watch it, and you'll never feel the same way about Lully ever again. Stéphanie d'Oustrac not only owns the role of Armide, but she's quite lovely in her red silk slip!

Carsen has done a real service here, and full honors should also go to Wm. Christie who, at this point, has become a glorious, extremely talented fixture dedicated to preserving music of the French baroque era.

In this spirit. I would very much love read from others here just where they stand on the Lully issue and, more generally, how they might cope with learning to appreciate something which has heretofore eluded their tastes.

For myself, repeated listenings rarely ever turn the tables; I find it to be more a function of Time and Age. But as I likely have little time left, there are some sojourns I likely will NOT be making.

[bviolon8897]

I, too, am a great fan of Rameau's operas, especially exciting to me is his Dardanus[Marc Minkowski]. As an early musician (baroque violin) I find it difficult to say much about Lully opera since I can count the times I've been called upon to perform it on one hand in a 30-yr. career (and then only excerpts). This is a great generalization, however, I believe American audiences lack a palate, i.e. appreciation, for French Baroque music, period. In the late 1980's I worked w/ John Hsu at Aston Magna and the theme for the workshop was the 'French Baroque'. Sally Sanford (soprano/musicologist) had plumed the depths of the vocal treatises and worked out a method for addressing the scansion that was essential to realize the successful ancient and modern performances of French cantatas, airs des cours, operas, etc. There's a wonderful comparison of adjectives describing French 'bon gout' v. Italian 'corruption de gout' in music that the French treatise authors used in the 17th & 18th centuries. James R. Anthony includes this list in his study of French Baroque Music from Beaujoyeulx to Rameau (1974, p.113). Our age would identify more closely with the Italian adjectives and this might explain why there's less interest in French Baroque opera today. I somehow imagine some connection, too, with an odd, pervasive, anti-intellectual attitude in our culture---this in a country that boasts some of the finest universities in the world---we live in a land of contradictions. Perhaps you find yourself in your maturity more settled-in and able to appreciate the delicacies of sung French texts. If true, what a gift! Laetus in praesans-'Joy in the present'

[James C. Fretz]

"I somehow imagine some connection, too, with an odd, pervasive, anti-intellectual attitude in our culture---this in a country that boasts some of the finest universities in the world---we live in a land of contradictions. Perhaps you find yourself in your maturity more settled-in and able to appreciate the delicacies of sung French texts."

I suspect I've reached a more contemplative age. I could almost call it my Henry James period, wherein attention to detail is paramount and subtlety is all.

Having thrown out all my broad brushes, I sit here with (not on) pins and needles, dipping them into bottomless inkwells.

Life has become one enormous Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

[bviolon8897]

Originally Posted by James C. Fretz

"I somehow imagine some connection, too, with an odd, pervasive, anti-intellectual attitude in our culture---this in a country that boasts some of the finest universities in the world---we live in a land of contradictions. Perhaps you find yourself in your maturity more settled-in and able to appreciate the delicacies of sung French texts."

I suspect I've reached a more contemplative age. I could almost call it my Henry James period, wherein attention to detail is paramount and subtlety is all.

Having thrown out all my broad brushes, I sit here with (not on) pins and needles, dipping them into bottomless inkwells.

Life has become one enormous Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

...Why not focus on the subtle? You and Camille Pissarro would have got on. Apparently he felt his minute, repetitive brush strokes as akin to the humble tasks required of the farmers and tradespeople he so identified with. We all deserve to find solace and affinity where we can.

[periodinstrumentfan]

I wonder if you have checked Vincent Dumestre's work of Lully's Cadmus et Hermione. ... it is entirely candle lit as well...

My favorite Chaconne >>>

[bviolon8897]

Originally Posted by bviolon8897

I, too, am a great fan of Rameau's operas, especially exciting to me is his Dardanus[Marc Minkowski]. As an early musician (baroque violin) I find it difficult to say much about Lully opera since I can count the times I've been called upon to perform it on one hand in a 30-yr. career (and then only excerpts). This is a great generalization, however, I believe American audiences lack a palate, i.e. appreciation, for French Baroque music, period. In the late 1980's I worked w/ John Hsu at Aston Magna and the theme for the workshop was the 'French Baroque'. Sally Sanford (soprano/musicologist) had plumed the depths of the vocal treatises and worked out a method for addressing the scansion that was essential to realize the successful ancient and modern performances of French cantatas, airs de cours, operas, etc. There's a wonderful comparison of adjectives describing French 'bon gout' v. Italian 'corruption de gout' in music that the French treatise authors used in the 17th & 18th centuries. James R. Anthony includes this list in his study of French Baroque Music from Beaujoyeulx to Rameau (1974, p.113). Our age would identify more closely with the Italian adjectives and this might explain why there's less interest in French Baroque opera today. I somehow imagine some connection, too, with an odd, pervasive, anti-intellectual attitude in our culture---this in a country that boasts some of the finest universities in the world---we live in a land of contradictions. Perhaps you find yourself in your maturity more settled-in and able to appreciate the delicacies of sung French texts. If true, what a gift! Laetus in praesans-'Joy in the present'

Note: Airs de cour (the plural form w/out the s's)!

[bviolon8897]

Originally Posted by periodinstrumentfan

I wonder if you have checked Vincent Dumestre's work of Lully's Cadmus et Hermione. ... it is entirely candle lit as well...

My favorite Chaconne >>>

Wow! I loved it, too!! Thanks for the heads-up.

[James C. Fretz]

Originally Posted by periodinstrumentfan

I wonder if you have checked Vincent Dumestre's work of Lully's Cadmus et Hermione. ... it is entirely candle lit as well...

Indeed, PIF, the Dumestre dvd was the very first Lully video to fight for space on my library shelf, a perfect example of complete and utter adherence to period values. Under Benjamin Lazar's direction, the production really be termed 'anti-Regie' so scrupulous and faithful is its intent.

I thank you for reminding me of it, for I shall have to re-play it again (and soon).

I do, however, really appreciate Carsen's vision for the Christie/Armide; it is respectful and without much evidence of director willfullness that seems to be so commonly held by those who want to carve out a name for themselves...the composer be damned.

Carsen, it seems, has wisely adopted "Primum non nocere" as his guiding philosophy; his forays into updating are limited to the prologue and postlude (after Armide's immolation).

Lully, it turns out, is not a composer whose voice has no place in our modern world; he was fully capable of articulating the emotional pathos which imbued the libretti of all his operas. The language and style was admittedly different....but the result is no less powerful.