Isis

Bénédicte Tauran La Renommée, Melpomène, Mycène, Junon
Eve-Maud Hubeaux Thalie, Isis, Io  
Ambroisine Bré Calliope, Iris, Syrinx, Hébé, premier Parque 
Robert Getchell Apollon, premier triton, Pirante, la Furie, la Famine, l'Inondation, deuxième Parque, premier Berger
Fabien Hyon Deuxième triton, Mercure, deuxième berger, premier conducteur de Chalybes, les Maladies languissantes
Philippe Estèphe Neptune, Argus, troisième Parque, la Guerre, l'Incendie, les Maladies violentes
Edwin Crossley-Mercer Jupiter, Pan
Aimery Lefèvre Hierax, deuxième conducteur de Chalybes
Julie Calbète, Barbara Menier (membres du choeur) deux nymphes

Christophe Rousset direction
Les Talens Lyriques
Chœur de chambre de Namur  Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon, Thibaut Lenaerts chefs de choeur

Sung in French with French and English subtitles

Approximate running time
1st part: 1h15 - Intermission: 20mn - 2nd part: 1h05

Isis, the fifth collaboration between Lully and his librettist Quinault, was not as rapturously received as Armide, Atys and Phaëton. The work clearly alludes to the context of the royal court of the day and depicts the jealousy of Madame de Montespan (Juno), who has been spurned by her royal lover (Jupiter) in favour of the young and beautiful Madame de Ludres (who is obviously Isis). Quinault paid for his boldness with two year’s exile from court and the work was consigned to oblivion for three centuries. However, the score is not without beautiful passages in all genres carried by a simple libretto recounting the misfortunes of the Nymph Io, who was loved by Jupiter and hounded by jealous Juno. After many twists and turns, Io takes refuge from her pursuer at the mouth of the Nile, where she becomes the goddess Isis after many more equally thrilling adventures. Christophe Rousset is a Lully connoisseur and will undoubtedly rise to the challenge of accompanying the adventures of the unfortunate Io/Isis with great delicacy.

Production Théâtre des Champs-Elysées