Les Boréades - Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Folantin (talk | contribs) at 13:05, 16 July 2006. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 13:05, 16 July 2006 by Folantin (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

Les Boréades (The Descendants of Boreas) or Abaris is an opera, or more specifically a tragédie en musique, in five acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau. The libretto is attributed to Louis de Cahusac. There were no known performances of this opera in Rameau's lifetime, however . The work was in rehearsal in 1763 at the Paris Opéra, probably for a private performance at the court at Choisy. It is not known why it was abandoned, though many theories have been put forward, including that factions at court fought over it, the music was too difficult, there were subversive plot elements, and that the Opéra was burnt down in the month of rehearsals. The first known performance of the work was in 1770 in a concert performance at Lille.

Plot

Alphise, Queen of Bactria is in love with Abaris, whose origins are unknown. According to the traditions of her country, Alphise must marry a Boread, one of the descendants of Boreas, the god of the North Wind. Determined to marry Abaris, Alphise abdicates, angering Boreas who storms into the wedding and abducts Alphise to his kingdom. With the help of Apollo and the muse Polyhymnia, Abaris sets off to rescue her. He challenges Boreas and his sons with a magic golden arrow. Apollo descends as deus ex machina and reveals that Abaris is really his son by a Boread nymph. Therefore, there is no longer any obstacle to Abaris and Alphise's marriage.