''Canente'' (English: ''Canens'') is an opera by the French composer

Pascal Collasse Pascal Collasse (or Colasse) (22 January 1649 ( baptised) – 17 July 1709) was a French composer of the Baroque era. Born in Rheims, Collasse became a disciple of Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lu ...

, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opéra) on 4 November 1700. It takes the form of a '' tragédie lyrique'' in a prologue and five acts. The libretto is by Antoine Houdar de la Motte. A new setting by the composer Antoine Dauvergne appeared in 1760.

Roles

Synopsis

The enchantress Circe has helped Picus become King of Latium because she is in love with him. But Picus is in love with the nymph Canens. However, the River Tiber is also in love with Canens and threatens to flood Latium if she marries Picus. Circe abducts the nymph and orders her demons to torment Canens, but she manages to win them over and is rescued by a group of

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupīdō , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, lust, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus (mythology), Venus and the god of war Mar ...

s. Circe tells Picus that Canens is going to marry Tiber, but all her magic cannot alter his love for the nymph. Circe resorts to revenge and sends the Furies to destroy the wedding of Picus and Canens. But the Furies are thwarted by Cupid, Circe admits defeat and the lovers are finally married.

Sources

* Félix Clément and Pierre Larousse ''Dictionnaire des Opéras'', Paris, 1881, page 134. *
Libretto at "Livrets baroques"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canente (Collasse) Operas Tragédies en musique French-language operas 1700 operas Operas by Pascal Collasse