''Polydore'' (''Polydorus'') is an opera by the French-Italian composer
Jean-Baptiste Stuck Jean-Baptiste Stuck (also known by the single moniker "Baptistin," "Batistin" or "Battistin") (6 May 16808 December 1755) was an Italian-French composer and cellist of the Baroque era.
Little is known of Stuck's early years. He was born at Livorno ...
, first performed at the Académie Royale de Musique (the
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...
) on 15 February 1720. It takes the form of a ''
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 t ...
'' in a prologue and five acts. The libretto, by
Simon-Joseph Pellegrin
The abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin
(1663 – 5 September 1745) was a French poet and playwright, a librettist who collaborated with Jean-Philippe Rameau and other composers.
Biography
He was born at Marseille, the son of a ''conseiller'' to the Si ...
, is based on the Greek legend of
Polydorus
In Greek mythology, Polydorus (; grc, Πολύδωρος, i.e. "many-gift d) or Polydoros referred to several different people.
*Polydorus, son of Phineus and Cleopatra, and brother of Polydector (Polydectus). These two sons by his first wife were ...
, youngest son of
King Priam of Troy, murdered by Polymestor, King of Thrace, for his treasure.
Sources
Félix Clément and Pierre Larousse ''Dictionnaire des Opéras'', Paris, 1881 page 537.
French-language operas
Tragédies en musique
Operas by Jean-Baptiste Stuck
Operas
1720 operas
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