''Callirhoé'' is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...

by the French composer

André Cardinal Destouches André Cardinal Destouches (sometimes called des Touches) (baptised 6 April 1672 – 7 February 1749) was a French composer best known for the '' opéra-ballet'' '' Les élémens''. Biography Born in Paris, the son of Étienne Cardinal ...

. It takes the form of a ''

tragédie en musique Tragédie en musique (, ''musical tragedy''), also known as tragédie lyrique (, ''lyric tragedy''), is a genre of French opera introduced by Jean-Baptiste Lully and used by his followers until the second half of the eighteenth century. Operas in ...

'' in a prologue and five acts. The libretto, by

Pierre-Charles Roy Pierre-Charles Roy (1683 — 23 October 1764) was a French poet and man of letters, noted for his collaborations with the composers François Francoeur and André Cardinal Destouches, to produce librettos for several opera-ballets, on classical su ...

, is based on a story from ''The Description of Greece'' by

Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to: * Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium'' *Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC * Pausanias of Sicily, physician of ...

(see Coresus). The opera was first performed on December 27, 1712, by the

Académie royale de musique The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

at the

Théâtre du Palais-Royal The Théâtre du Palais-Royal () is a 750-seat Parisian theatre at 38 rue de Montpensier, located at the northwest corner of the Palais-Royal in the Galerie de Montpensier at its intersection with the Galerie de Beaujolais. Brief history ...

in Paris. Destouches reworked the score for a revival on 22 October, 1743. This version ends abruptly with the death of Corésus.

Roles

Synopsis

Fragonard coresus sacrificing himselt to save callirhoe

Following the revised version of 1743.

Act One

Princess Callirhoé, heiress to the kingdom of

Calydon Calydon (; grc, Καλυδών, ) was a Greek city in ancient Aetolia, situated on the west bank of the river Evenus, 7.5 Roman miles (approx. 11 km) from the sea. Its name is most famous today for the Calydonian boar that had to be o ...

, laments her fate. Her parents are forcing her to marry a man she loathes, Corésus, the high priest of

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...

, when she is really in love with Agénor. The wedding ceremony of Corésus and Callirhoé is interrupted when the latter faints at the altar.

Act Two

Agénor declares his love for Callirhoé but the couple are surprised by the furious Corésus. Corésus calls on the priests of Bacchus and the people of Calydon to kill Agénor.

Act Three

Eager to put an end to the disturbances, Callirhoé's mother takes her daughter to consult the oracle of Pan. The god delivers his sentence: the blood of Callirhoé must be spilt or that of someone in love with her.

Act Four

Callirhoé is resigned to sacrifice herself for the good of the kingdom. But the people protest against the oracle and Agénor declares he is ready to die himself to save his beloved.

Act Five

Alone in the temple, Corésus ponders what action to take. If Agénor is sacrificed, then he will win Callirhoé but she will hate him for evermore. As Agénor and Callirhoé enter the temple, both eager to sacrifice themselves to save the other, Corésus stabs himself to death. The oracle is fulfilled: the blood of a man in love with Callirhoé has been spilt.

Recordings

* ''Callirhoé'', (1743 version, without prologue),

Stéphanie d'Oustrac Stéphanie d'Oustrac (born 1974, in Rennes) is a French mezzo-soprano. Biography Stéphanie d'Oustrac was born in Rennes in 1974. She is the great great niece of Francis Poulenc and Jacques La Presle. She was part of the '' Maîtrise de Bretagne ...

, Callirhoé, Cyril Auvity, Agénor, João Fernandes, Corésus, Ingrid Perruche, La Reine, Renaud Delaigue, Le Ministre, Stéphanie Révidat, Une Princesse de Calypso, Une Bergère,

Le Concert Spirituel Le Concert Spirituel is a French ensemble specialising in works of baroque music, played on period instruments. Founded by Hervé Niquet in 1987, it is named after the 18th-century concert series Concert Spirituel. The group performs internatio ...

, conducted by

Hervé Niquet Hervé Niquet (born 28 October 1957) is a French conductor, harpsichordist, tenor, and the director of Le Concert Spirituel, specializing in French Baroque music. Biography Born on 28 October 1957, Hervé Niquet was raised at Abbeville in t ...

. 2 CD Glossa 2007.

Sources

* Original libretto: ''Callirhoé, Tragédie représentée pour la première fois par l'Académie Royale de Musique, Le Mardy vingt-septiéme Decembre 1712'', Paris Ballard, 1712 (accessible for free online i
gallica
Bibliothèque Nationale de France) * Original printed score: ''Callirhoé, Tragedie en Musique, par Monsieur Destouches, Inspecteur General de l'Academie Royale de Musique; Représentée pour la première fois par la mème Academie, le vingt-septiéme Decembre 1712'', Paris, Ballard, 1712 (accessible for free online a
IMSLP
* ''The Viking Opera Guide'' ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)

* * Booklet notes to the above recording. {{DEFAULTSORT:Callirhoe French-language operas Tragédies en musique 1712 operas Operas by André Cardinal Destouches Operas Opera world premieres at the Paris Opera Operas based on classical mythology