''Actéon'' (''Actaeon'') is a ''Pastorale'' in the form of a miniature ''

tragédie en musique Tragédie en musique (, ''musical tragedy''), also known as tragédie lyrique (, ''lyric tragedy''), is a genre of French opera introduced by Jean-Baptiste Lully and used by his followers until the second half of the eighteenth century. Operas in ...

'' in six scenes by

Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...

, Opus H.481 & H.481a, based on a Greek myth.

History

It is highly unlikely that this opera was written for performance at the Hôtel de Guise, the palatial Parisian residence of

Marie de Lorraine, Duchess of Guise Marie de Lorraine (15 August 1615 – 3 March 1688) was the daughter of Charles de Lorraine, Duke of Guise and Henriette Catherine de Joyeuse and the last member of the House of Guise, a branch of the House of Lorraine. Biography Marie de Lor ...

, Charpentier's protectress. (The work was copied into a Roman-number notebook, which strongly suggests that it was an outside commission; and the overall distribution of voices and instruments does not match that of the Guise ensemble of the time.) Although the patron and the place of performance remain unknown, the date can be determined with considerable accuracy: the spring hunting season of 1684. Later that year (presumably for the fall hunting season) it was revised to change the title role from an ''haute-contre'' role (perhaps originally sung by Charpentier) to a soprano part, and was at that time renamed ''Actéon changé en biche.''This is, of course, a pun, because a female singer (a ''biche'', a "doe") has taken the place of the original male who was turned into a stag. The author of the French libretto is unknown, however the plot is based on a story in

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

's ''

Metamorphoses The ''Metamorphoses'' ( la, Metamorphōsēs, from grc, μεταμορφώσεις: "Transformations") is a Latin narrative poem from 8 CE by the Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his ''magnum opus''. The poem chronicles the history of the ...

''. In this story the hunter Actaeon (Actéon in French) accidentally discovers the goddess Diana (Diane in French) bathing with her attendants. He tries to hide himself, but is discovered, and Diane in anger turns him into a stag, and he is pursued and torn apart by his own

hound A hound is a type of hunting dog used by hunters to track or chase prey. Description Hounds can be contrasted with gun dogs that assist hunters by identifying prey and/or recovering shot quarry. The hound breeds were the first hunting dogs. ...

s. This story is the same one recounted in the aria "Oft she visits this lone mountain" from Purcell's ''

Dido and Aeneas ''Dido and Aeneas'' (Z. 626) is an opera in a prologue and three acts, written by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell with a libretto by Nahum Tate. The dates of the composition and first performance of the opera are uncertain. It was com ...

'', first performed in 1689. In 2015, Ayrshire Opera, led by David Douglas translated the opera into Scots and performed it as part of a community project.

Roles

Selected recordings

*conducted by William Christie, Les Arts Florissants CD.

Harmonia Mundi Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group. Its Latin name ''harm ...

Musique d'Abord (1982). Catalog# 1951095. *conducted by

Paul O'Dette Paul Raymond O'Dette (born February 2, 1954) is an American lutenist, conductor, and musicologist specializing in early music. Biography O'Dette, who was born in Pittsburgh, began playing the electric guitar in a rock band in Columbus, Ohio, w ...

and Stephen Stubbs, Boston Early Music Festival CD. cpo (2009). Catalog# 777 613–2.

References

* John S. Powell. "Actéon", '' Grove Music Online'', ed. L. Macy (accessed July 23, 2006)
grovemusic.com
(subscription access). * H. Wiley Hitchcock. "Charpentier, Marc-Antoine 3. Stage music.", '' Grove Music Online'', ed. L. Macy (accessed July 23, 2006)
grovemusic.com
(subscription access).

External links

(in French) {{DEFAULTSORT:Acteon Operas by Marc-Antoine Charpentier French-language operas 1684 operas Tragédies en musique Operas Operas based on Metamorphoses Pastoral operas One-act operas