''Amadis de Grèce'' (''Amadis of Greece'') 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 librett ...

by the French composer

André Cardinal Destouches André Cardinal Destouches (sometimes called des Touches) (baptised 6 April 1672 – 7 February 1749) was a French composer best known for the ''opéra-ballet'' ''Les élémens''. Biography Born in Paris, the son of Étienne Cardinal, a ...

, 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 26 March 1699. 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

Antoine Houdar de La Motte Antoine Houdar de la Motte (18 January 167226 December 1731) was a French author. De la Motte was born and died in Paris. In 1693 his comedy, ''Les Originaux'' (Les originaux, ou, l'Italien), was a complete failure, and so depressed the author ...

, is based on the medieval romance '' Amadis de Gaula''. La Motte's text was adapted to produce the Italian-language libretto for

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

's ''

opera seria ''Opera seria'' (; plural: ''opere serie''; usually called ''dramma per musica'' or ''melodramma serio'') is an Italian musical term which refers to the noble and "serious" style of Italian opera that predominated in Europe from the 1710s to abo ...

'' ''

Amadigi di Gaula ''Amadigi di Gaula'' ( HWV 11) is a "magic" opera in three acts, with music by George Frideric Handel. It was the fifth Italian opera that Handel wrote for an English theatre and the second he wrote for Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington in ...

'' (1715).

Characters

Main characters

Others

* A young sailor * An Enchanter * An enchanted Knight * An enchanted Princess * The party leader * Two Shepherds

Rehearsals

Amadis de Grece (NYPL b12149211-5107426)

Rehearsals were held at Fontainebleau on October 17 and 24, as well as on November 7, 1698. Here is what the Marquis de Dangeau recorded in his ''Journal'' :

''Friday 17th, at Fontainebleau''

''Friday, 24th, at Fontainebleau''

''Friday, 7, at Fontainebleau''

Early performances

Académie Royale de Musique in 1699

''Amadis de Grèce'' was premiered in the

Académie Royale de Musique 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 the 26 of March, 1699.

Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels in 1711

''Amadis de Grèce'' was performed in the

Théâtre de la Monnaie The Royal Theatre of La Monnaie (french: Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, italic=no, ; nl, Koninklijke Muntschouwburg, italic=no; both translating as the "Royal Theatre of the Mint") is an opera house in central Brussels, Belgium. The National O ...

in Brussels in 1711.

Queen's Concerts in 1732

''Amadis de Grèce'' was performed during the Queen's Concerts in March 1732. The prologue and act I were performed on March 3 of 1732, then acts II and II on March 5, acts IV and V on March 10.

References

Sources

*
Libretto at "Livres baroques"
*
Félix Clément and Pierre Larousse ''Dictionnaire des Opéras'', Paris, 1881
* (in French

*''Viking Opera Guide'', ed. Amanda Holden (Viking, 1993): article on ''Amadis'', p.262

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amadis de Grece French-language operas Tragédies en musique 1699 operas Operas by André Cardinal Destouches Operas Opera world premieres at the Paris Opera