Rameau Platée opera to a libretto by Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d'Orville. Directed 2020 by Robert Carsen at the Theater an der Wien. Stars Marcel Beekman (Platée), Jeanine De Bique (La Folie), Cyril Auvity (Mercure/Thespis), Marc Mauillon (Momus /Cithéron), Edwin Crossley-Mercer (Jupiter), Emmanuelle de Negri (Amour/Clarine), Emile Renard (Junon), Ilona Revolskaya (Thalie), and Padraic Rowan (Mommuss/Satyre). William Christie conducts Les Arts Florissants and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor (Chorus Master Erwin Ortner). Set and costume design by Gideon Davey; lighting design by Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet; choreography by Nicholas Paul; dramatic advisor was Ian Burton. Directed for TV by Davide Mancini. Sung in French. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
According to Judith Malafronte this comic opera dates back to 1745 when it was set in a swamp (January 2022 Opera News at pages 50-51). It’s is a complicated comic romp full of esoteric devices like satire of serious music of the past, “sound effects” by the orchestra, and references to popular culture. To cope with Robert Carsen’s stunts, you should bone up on high-fashion luminaries such as Coco Chanel, Karl Largerfeld, and Lady Gaga. You should further consult YouTube for information about dance forms such as breakdancing and voguing. Not for newbies—or maybe only for newbies. Print critics were all enthusiastic. Anything from Carsen and Christie is likely to be outstanding if you have the energy to figure it out. Here’s a wild and crazy clip from C Major:
OR
