Portrait of Jean-Philippe Rameau - Joseph Aved

''Les sibarites'' (''The Sybarites'') is an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

in the form of a one-act ''acte de ballet'' by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 13 November 1753 at Fontainebleau. The libretto is by Jean-François Marmontel. It tells the story of a war between

Sybaris Sybaris ( grc, Σύβαρις; it, Sibari) was an important city of Magna Graecia. It was situated in modern Calabria, in southern Italy, between two rivers, the Crathis (Crati) and the Sybaris (Coscile). The city was founded in 720 BC ...

and Croton. The conflict ends when the king and queen of the two cities fall in love with each other. The work was later incorporated into a revival of Rameau's ''

opéra-ballet ''Opéra-ballet'' (; plural: ''opéras-ballets'') is a genre of French Baroque lyric theatre that was most popular during the 18th century, combining elements of opera and ballet, "that grew out of the '' ballets à entrées'' of the early sevente ...

Les surprises de l'Amour ''Les surprises de l'Amour'' is an ''opéra-ballet'' in two ''entrées'' (three or four in later versions) and a prologue by the French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was first performed in Versailles on 27 November 1748. The opera is set to ...

'' in 1757.

Roles

Synopsis

Scene: ''The stage shows a verdant amphitheatre covered with trees forming a bower. In the background is a throne covered by a canopy of flowers. Queen Hersilide is sitting on the throne.'' The people of

celebrate the coronation of their new queen (Chorus: ''"Régnez, mortelle adorable"''). Agis and Philoé trust she will maintain the Sybarite tradition of devotion to pleasure. Hersilide pledges that her reign will bring love and happiness. The Sybarite festivities are suddenly interrupted by the noise of war (Chorus: ''"Quel bruit se mêle à nos concerts!"''). Agis brings news that the neighbouring city of Crotone is invading Sybaris. Hersilide is undaunted and tells her people to offer flowers to the belligerent Crotoniates. Left alone, she prays to Cupid to aid her (Air: ''"Tendre Amour, prête-moi tes armes"''). The Crotoniates arrive under their leader Astole, who rejects the Sybarites' flowers and accuses them of effeminacy (''"Peuple efféminé, cœurs timides"''). However, when he sees Hersilide he begins to fall in love with her. Astole says he has come to teach the Sybarites to throw off their idleness and acquire a thirst for glory, but he is disturbed to find himself succumbing to Sybaris's charms. Eventually, he agrees to let the Sybarites live under their own laws and confesses the power of Cupid. The opera ends with the Sybarites and the Crotoniates celebrating together.

Recordings

*''Sibaris'' Le Concert de l'Hostel Dieu, Franck-Emmanuel Comte (

Pierre Verany Disques Pierre Verany is a French classical music record label named after its founder and producer. Verany, a producer and sound engineer, ran his own label "Disques Pierre Verany" for many years — concentrating on Italian and French baroque m ...

label, 1999)

References

;Sources * Girdlestone, Cuthbert, ''Jean-Philippe Rameau: His Life and Work'', New York: Dover, 1969 (paperback edition) *Holden, Amanda (Ed.), ''The New Penguin Opera Guide'', New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. *Sadler, Graham, (Ed.), ''The New Grove French Baroque Masters'' Grove/Macmillan, 1988 {{DEFAULTSORT:Sibarites, Les Operas Sibarites Sibarites Sibarites 1753 operas Ballets by Jean-Philippe Rameau