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Proserpine (Lully) 
Summary
Proserpine (Proserpina) is an opera with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and a libretto by Philippe Quinault first performed at Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 3 February 1680.[1]
Roles edit
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast, 3 February 1680 |
|---|---|---|
| Prologue | ||
| La Paix (Peace) | soprano | Catherine Ferdinand |
| La Félicité (Felicitas) | soprano | Mlle Rebel |
| L'Abondance (Abundantia) | soprano | Mlle Puvigné (or Puvigny) |
| La Discorde (Discord) | tenor (en travesti) | Puvigné (or Puvigny) |
| La Victoire (Victoria) | soprano | Claude Ferdinand |
| Tragédie | ||
| Pluton (Pluto) | bass | Jean Gaye |
| Ascalaphe (Ascalaphus), son of Acheron, confidant of Pluton | bass | Antoine Morel |
| Proserpine | soprano | Claude Ferdinand |
| Cérès (Ceres) | soprano | Mlle de Saint-Christophe (or Saint-Christophle) |
| Jupiter | bass | Godonesche |
| Alphée (Alpheus) | haute-contre | Bernard Cledière |
| Aréthuse (Arethusa) | soprano | Catherine Ferdinand |
| Mercure (Mercury) | tenor | Langeais |
| Cyané, a Sicilian nymph, confidante of Cérès | soprano | Mlle Bony |
| Crinise, god of the Sicilian river Crinisus | basse-taille | Arnoul |
| Furies | 2 tenors and a basse-taille(?) | Claude Desvoyes, Puvigny (or Puvigné) and Le Maire |
| A blessed spirit | soprano | |
Synopsis edit
Based on Ovid's Metamorphoses, the plot centers around the abduction of Proserpine by Pluton, with side plots concerning Cérès's love for Jupiter and the love intrigue between Alphée and Aréthuse.
Recordings edit
- Proserpine, soloists, Le Concert Spirituel, conducted by Hervé Niquet (Glossa, 2 CDs, 2008)
References edit
- ^ Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Proserpine, 3 February 1680". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
Further reading edit
- The New Grove French Baroque Masters, ed. Graham Sadler (Macmillan, 1986)
- The Viking Opera Guide, ed. Amanda Holden (Viking, 1993)
- Le magazine de l'opéra baroque by Jean-Claude Brenac (in French)
External links edit
- Proserpine (Lully): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
