Le Roi Soleil (musical)
Encyclopedia
Le Roi Soleil is a successful French musical
about the life of Louis XIV (played by Emmanuel Moire
). It premiered on 22 September 2005 at the Palais des Sports
in Paris
.
against Cardinal Mazarin. Young Louis is the consecrated King at Reims. But his power has been confiscated by his mother, Anne of Austria
, and the Cardinal, who doubt his ability to rule France alone.
Louis falls in love with Marie Mancini
, an Italian emigrant without noble birth, niece of Cardinal Mazarin. To prove himself as a man, the young monarch decides to leave for the war at the head of his armies, and though Marie has a worrying premonition she is unable to stop him. Louis falls in battle, victim to a serious disease, and for a long time is believed dead. The court forgets him and attempts to name his brother Philippe
the new King of France. Marie, however, refuses to accept the fatality and spends many nights by his bedside praying in tears.
Then, in a sudden turn of events, one of the royal doctors administers a drug that wakes Louis from his sleep. He learns that he has been forgotten by everyone in the country except Marie and his own family. Now desperately in love with the beautiful Italian, Louis proposes to her. Marie reminds him that it is impossible for a French King to marry an Italian without birth. Anne of Austria, Mazarin and even the Pope
would object.
Louis stubbornly dismisses all opposition, deciding that he is King and will therefore decide his own future. Nevertheless, Anne of Austria and Mazarin put an end to the dream by banishing Marie into exile and persuading the young King to marry the Spanish princess
. The first act ends with the pain of separation.
The second Act begins with the death of Mazarin, upon which Louis seizes power and becomes the Sun King. He loses himself in the arms of many women, forgetting that his people will pay heavy taxes for the construction of an excessive dream- the Château de Versailles.
After many events such as the matter of the Man in the Iron Mask
and the Poison Affair
, Louis attains what he could not achieve with Marie Mancini. He marries, despite opposition, Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
, a woman without birth who was the governess of his illegitimate children with Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
.
The final performances of this play were July 6–8, 2007 in Paris.
1 Prélude versaillais - instrumental
2 Contre ceux d'en haut - M. Rim feat. V. Petrosillo
3 Qu'avons-nous fait de vous ? - V. Petrosillo feat. M. Rim
4 Je serai lui - C. Andria
5 Être à la hauteur - E. Moire
6 Ça marche - C. Maé
7 Où ça mène quand on s'aime - A.-L. Girbal, E. Moire
8 Encore du temps - V. Petrosillo, A.-L. Girbal
9 Requien Aeternam - V. Petrosillo, M. Rim, A.-L. Girbal
10 A qui la faute - C. Maé
11 Je fais de toi mon essentiel - E. Moire feat. A.-L. Girbal
12 S'aimer est interdit - A.-L. Girbal, E. Moire
Acte 2
1 Repartir - M. Rim, V. Petrosillo, C. Andria
2 Le ballet des planètes - instrumental
3 Pour arriver à moi - E. Moire
4 Un geste de vous - L. Ansaldi, C. Maé feat. E.Moire
5 Le bal des monstres - instrumental
6 Entre ciel et terre - M. Rim, V. Petrosillo
7 Alors d'accord - C. Andria with child
8 J'en appelle - L. Ansaldi
9 L'arrestation - instrumental
10 Personne n'est personne - V. Petrosillo, C. Andria
11 Et vice Versailles - C. Maé feat. E. Moire
12 La vie passe - E. Moire, C. Andria
13 Tant qu'on rêve encore - The entire cast
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
about the life of Louis XIV (played by Emmanuel Moire
Emmanuel Moire
Emmanuel Moire is a French singer. He and his twin brother Nicolas were born in Le Mans on 16 June 1979. Emmanuel is an eclectic artist. He sings and plays the piano, with a hundred tunes to his credit.-Singing career:...
). It premiered on 22 September 2005 at the Palais des Sports
Palais des Sports (Paris)
Palais de Sports is an indoor sports arena, located at 1, place de la Porte de Versailles in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, France. The closest métro station is Porte de Versailles....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Plot
The play with the FrondeFronde
The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
against Cardinal Mazarin. Young Louis is the consecrated King at Reims. But his power has been confiscated by his mother, Anne of Austria
Anne of Austria
Anne of Austria was Queen consort of France and Navarre, regent for her son, Louis XIV of France, and a Spanish Infanta by birth...
, and the Cardinal, who doubt his ability to rule France alone.
Louis falls in love with Marie Mancini
Marie Mancini
Anna Maria Mancini was the third of the five Mancini sisters; nieces to Cardinal Mazarin who were brought to France to marry advantageously...
, an Italian emigrant without noble birth, niece of Cardinal Mazarin. To prove himself as a man, the young monarch decides to leave for the war at the head of his armies, and though Marie has a worrying premonition she is unable to stop him. Louis falls in battle, victim to a serious disease, and for a long time is believed dead. The court forgets him and attempts to name his brother Philippe
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans
Philippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
the new King of France. Marie, however, refuses to accept the fatality and spends many nights by his bedside praying in tears.
Then, in a sudden turn of events, one of the royal doctors administers a drug that wakes Louis from his sleep. He learns that he has been forgotten by everyone in the country except Marie and his own family. Now desperately in love with the beautiful Italian, Louis proposes to her. Marie reminds him that it is impossible for a French King to marry an Italian without birth. Anne of Austria, Mazarin and even the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
would object.
Louis stubbornly dismisses all opposition, deciding that he is King and will therefore decide his own future. Nevertheless, Anne of Austria and Mazarin put an end to the dream by banishing Marie into exile and persuading the young King to marry the Spanish princess
Maria Theresa of Spain
Maria Theresa of Austria was the daughter of Philip IV, King of Spain and Elizabeth of France. Maria Theresa was Queen of France as wife of King Louis XIV and mother of the Grand Dauphin, an ancestor of the last four Bourbon kings of France.-Early life:Born as Infanta María Teresa of Spain at the...
. The first act ends with the pain of separation.
The second Act begins with the death of Mazarin, upon which Louis seizes power and becomes the Sun King. He loses himself in the arms of many women, forgetting that his people will pay heavy taxes for the construction of an excessive dream- the Château de Versailles.
After many events such as the matter of the Man in the Iron Mask
Man in the Iron Mask
The Man in the Iron Mask is a name given to a prisoner arrested as Eustache Dauger in 1669 or 1670, and held in a number of jails, including the Bastille and the Fortress of Pignerol . He was held in the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, for a period of 34 years...
and the Poison Affair
Poison affair
The Affair of the Poisons was a major murder scandal in France which took place in 1677–1682, during the reign of King Louis XIV. During it, a number of prominent members of the aristocracy were implicated and sentenced on charges of poisoning and witchcraft...
, Louis attains what he could not achieve with Marie Mancini. He marries, despite opposition, Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
, a woman without birth who was the governess of his illegitimate children with Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise of Montespan , better known as Madame de Montespan, was the most celebrated maîtresse en titre of King Louis XIV of France, by whom she had seven children....
.
The final performances of this play were July 6–8, 2007 in Paris.
Cast
- Louis XIV : Emmanuel MoireEmmanuel MoireEmmanuel Moire is a French singer. He and his twin brother Nicolas were born in Le Mans on 16 June 1979. Emmanuel is an eclectic artist. He sings and plays the piano, with a hundred tunes to his credit.-Singing career:...
. - Marie ManciniMarie ManciniAnna Maria Mancini was the third of the five Mancini sisters; nieces to Cardinal Mazarin who were brought to France to marry advantageously...
: Anne-Laure Girbal. - Monsieur, the King's brotherPhilippe I, Duke of OrléansPhilippe of France was the youngest son of Louis XIII of France and his queen consort Anne of Austria. His older brother was the famous Louis XIV, le roi soleil. Styled Duke of Anjou from birth, Philippe became Duke of Orléans upon the death of his uncle Gaston, Duke of Orléans...
: Christophe MaéChristophe MaéChristophe Maé is a French pop singer.-Career:Maé learned to play the violin at age 6, and later began playing the guitar and harmonica at age 16 after he was immobilised from a chronic illness. He has stated that this was the time when he became inspired by Stevie Wonder...
. - Françoise d'AubignéFrançoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de MaintenonFrançoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
: Cathialine Andria. - The Duc de Beaufort : Merwan RimMerwan RimMourad Merwan Rim , best known as Merwan Rim, is a French actor and singer-songwriter.-Biography:At the age of 17, Merwan Rim started to learn and instruments as an autodidact. Realizing his gift in musical arts, Merwan decided to become a full time musician...
. - Isabelle, the representative of the people : Victoria Petrosillo.
- Madame de MontespanFrançoise-Athénaïs, marquise de MontespanFrançoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise of Montespan , better known as Madame de Montespan, was the most celebrated maîtresse en titre of King Louis XIV of France, by whom she had seven children....
: Lysa Ansaldi. - Cardinal Mazarin : Jack Morgan.
- Anne of AustriaAnne of AustriaAnne of Austria was Queen consort of France and Navarre, regent for her son, Louis XIV of France, and a Spanish Infanta by birth...
: Marie Lenoir.
Songs
Acte I1 Prélude versaillais - instrumental
2 Contre ceux d'en haut - M. Rim feat. V. Petrosillo
3 Qu'avons-nous fait de vous ? - V. Petrosillo feat. M. Rim
4 Je serai lui - C. Andria
5 Être à la hauteur - E. Moire
6 Ça marche - C. Maé
7 Où ça mène quand on s'aime - A.-L. Girbal, E. Moire
8 Encore du temps - V. Petrosillo, A.-L. Girbal
9 Requien Aeternam - V. Petrosillo, M. Rim, A.-L. Girbal
10 A qui la faute - C. Maé
11 Je fais de toi mon essentiel - E. Moire feat. A.-L. Girbal
12 S'aimer est interdit - A.-L. Girbal, E. Moire
Acte 2
1 Repartir - M. Rim, V. Petrosillo, C. Andria
2 Le ballet des planètes - instrumental
3 Pour arriver à moi - E. Moire
4 Un geste de vous - L. Ansaldi, C. Maé feat. E.Moire
5 Le bal des monstres - instrumental
6 Entre ciel et terre - M. Rim, V. Petrosillo
7 Alors d'accord - C. Andria with child
8 J'en appelle - L. Ansaldi
9 L'arrestation - instrumental
10 Personne n'est personne - V. Petrosillo, C. Andria
11 Et vice Versailles - C. Maé feat. E. Moire
12 La vie passe - E. Moire, C. Andria
13 Tant qu'on rêve encore - The entire cast
External links
- Official Site of Le Roi Soleil (Not available anymore)
- Photos of play
- Photos of Anne-Laure Girbal