Acis & Galatea - DVD

Having been granted unprecedented authority by Louis XIV, the Sun King, no one could stage operas in France without Jean-Baptiste Lully's permission. By 1686, however, Lully's authority was waning and his long-standing librettist deserted him to write sacred works. Despite these setbacks, Lully wrote Acis et Galatée, a pastorale héroïque, and one of his final masterpieces. It's plot - the cyclops Poliphème's love for the nymph Galatée - drew from Lully an astonishing alternation of effects, a profound monologue for the nymph in Act III and a magnificent concluding Passacaille, all framed by a succession of dances and vividly conceived choruses.

Sara Mingardo, Ruth Rosique and Atonio Abete lead the cast in this premiere recording of Handel's opera from Turin's Teatro Carignano in 2009. Davide Livermore, the director, makes this 2009 production both enjoyable and interesting to watch. It has been recorded in the newly restored and beautiful Teatro Carignano in Turin and features Sara Mingardo, Ruth Rosique and Atonio Abete in the leading roles. Based on the well-known mythological story narrated by Ovid in the Metamorphoses, this is a classical tale of jealousy and love. The giant Polyphemus tries to force his attention on the fair sea-nymph Galatea, who is in love with the shepherd Aci. When mad jealousy drives Polyphemus to kill his rival, Galatea asks her father Nereus to turn Aci’s blood into a river so that, flowing into the sea, he will join her forevermore. Directed by Davide Livermore, Matteo Ricchetti. Starring Ruth Rosique, Antonio Abete, Cristina Banchetti. Language Italian Subtitles English, Italian, German, French, Spanish

After the success of the DVDs devoted to Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme and Cadmus &Hermione, Vincent Dumestre and Le Poème Harmonique continue their explorationof repertoires of the 17th century.This piece, combining theatre and music, allowed Purcell to achieve his dramaticideal. In fact, he wrote only a single opera in his short career - he died at the age of36 -, but with it, he left us a gem of rare beauty and extreme concision. The work'sgenius is also due in part to the quality of the libretto, skilfully put together byNahum Tate.Cécile Roussat and Julien Lubek, stage directors coming from the arts of the circusand the mime Marceau, had already collaborated with Le Poème Harmoniqueon the Carnaval Baroque. Here, they combine mime, dance and acrobatics withthe music in a moving, magical production.