Daphnis et Alcimadure (Mondonville) Toulouse 2022 François-Nicolas Geslot, Elodie Fonnard, Fabien Hyon, Hélène Le Corre
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Daphnis et Alcimadure
- Composer: Mondonville Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de
- Libretto: Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville
- Venue & Opera Company: Opera national du Capitole de Toulouse, France, The Occitan Opera
- Recorded: October 12 & 13, 2022
- Type: Concert Live
- Singers: François-Nicolas Geslot, Elodie Fonnard, Fabien Hyon, Hélène Le Corre
- Conductor: Jean-Marc Andrieu
- Orchestra: Les Passions (Orchestre Baroque de Montauban)
- Stage Director:
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Joshua's Music Channel
- Date Published: 2024
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: nosubs
- This Recording is NOT AVAILABLE from a proper commercial or public source
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Daphnis et Alcimadure (in Occitan classical norm, Dafnís e Alcimadura, or according to the original libretto spelling, Daphnis e Alcimaduro) is an opera by the Baroque violinist, conductor and composer Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville to a libretto in the Occitan language, written by the composer himself and loosely inspired by La Fontaine’s fable bearing the same title. It takes the form of a pastorale in three acts and was later endowed with a prologue in French entitled Les jeux floraux, to a libretto by Claude-Henri de Fusée de Voisenon.
History, criticism and interpretation
The opera was first staged on 24 October and 5 November 1754 at the Palace of Fontainebleau and performed before King Louis XV of France and his court. It was quite successful and the last act duet was repeated as an encore. Its public premiere was held by the Paris Opéra at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal on 29 December 1754, when the French prologue was added.
Mondonville asked two stars of the Paris Opéra to perform his work: the prima donna Marie Fel from Bordeaux and the primo uomo Pierre Jélyotte from Béarn. Both Bordeaux and Béarn are traditionally Occitan-speaking regions, though of Gascon and Béarnais dialects, whereas Mondonville wrote in the Languedocien dialect. The third role of the pastorale, Jeanet, was assigned to another tenor of the company, Jean-Paul Spesoller , generally known as Latour, who was born in Occitania as well, possibly at Carcassonne.
The opera was composed during the Querelle des Bouffons, an argument between partisans of French and Italian music. Mondonville supported the former, and according to Théodore Lajarte, he was prompted to employ his native Languedoc dialect because he intended to consolidate his leadership of the French faction. The German-born critic Melchior Grimm, a supporter of Italian music (and therefore not an admirer of Mondonville), approved the use of the Occitan language, as it was closer to Italian and thus partly able to camouflage the insipidity of Mondonville’s work.
Synopsis
Prologue
The prologue, in French, invokes Clémence Isaure (the allegorical patroness of Occitan) as well as the Jeux Floraux as a way of evoking the idealised history of the Occitan language. After the prologue, the opera is wholly in Occitan.
Act 1
Daphnis is a young shepherd in love with Alcimadure, but Alcimadure rejects him because she does not believe he is sincere. Jeanet, Alcimadure’s brother, claims he can prove that Daphnis’ love is true.
Act 2
Jeanet disguises himself as a soldier and comes to find Daphnis. He boasts of his bravery in many battles and says he intends to marry Alcimadure as soon as he has killed a certain shepherd called Daphnis. Daphnis, far from being daunted, declares his love for the shepherdess. Just then, a scream is heard from Alcimadure. She is being chased by a wolf. Daphnis rushes to the rescue, kills the wolf and saves Alcimadure. Although she is grateful, Alcimadure still rejects his love.
Act 3
Jeanet tries in vain to reason with Alcimadure. Daphnis, in despair, says he wants to die. When Jeanet tells his sister of Daphnis’ death, she too says she no longer wants to live. She has secretly been in love with Daphnis. However, Daphnis’ supposed death was just a ruse. He is still alive and the couple are now free to love one another.
Quoted from Wikipedia