Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre - Céphale et Procris

N°119

€30

In 1694, Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre became the first woman to compose a French opera, creating a work that tells the tragic fate of the Greek lovers Cephalus and Procris, thus marking an exceptional act of freedom for a woman at that time.More details

ELISABETH JACQUET DE LA GUERRE (1665-1729)

CEPHALE ET PROCRIS

Lyric tragedy in a prologue and five acts to a libretto by Joseph-François Duché de Vancy, first performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in 1694.

Ema Nikolovska - Déborah Cachet - Lore Binon
Gwendoline Blondeel - Marc Mauillon
Lisandro Abadie - Samuel Namotte

a nocte temporis - Chœur de Chambre de Namur
Reinoud van Mechelen, direction and countertenor

1694: the first french opera compsed by a woman is premiered at the Académie royale de musique. The fateful destiny of the Greek lovers, driven to blindeness and horror by the gods: Cephalus will kill Procris, whom he believes to be unfaithful, and himself... A virtuoso harpsichordist much appreciated by Louis XIV, Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre chose to become a composer at a time when such freedom was virtually unheard for a woman. Her gamble paid off, with six performances and the admiration of posterity: this flamboyant work has finally been brought back to the public by Reinoud van Mechelen.

Recorded on January 17th, 18th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2023 at the grand Manège in Namur

Booklet French/English/German - Duration: 147'15

→ Find this double CD in digital format on our Live Opéra Versailles platform and on all streaming platforms!