Arnaud Marzorati

A night in April 1673 at rue de Vaugirard, Paris: lucky spectators discover the very first French opera in a converted tennis court theater. Cadmus et Hermione’s libretto comes from the pen of a renowned academic, the musical score from the King’s brilliant Superintendent of Music. Cadmus et Hermione became one of those exceptional works whose memory stays with audience members forever... a dreamlike experience brought once more to life by the soloists, dancers, choir, and orchestra of the Poème Harmonique under the music direction of Vincent Dumestre. This 2008 production from the Opéra-Comique brims with a baroque elegance and beauty sure to captivate and delight!

Brightly painted wooden marionettes, live actors dressed as peasants, and five musicians playing period instruments (including one on a hurdy-gurdy!) come together on one stage to engage in one of humanity’s favorite pastimes: making fun of itself! Experience Lully’s Atys like you’ve never seen it before in this piece of delightful satire, 18th-century style!