Les élémens
Encyclopedia
Les élémens or Ballet des élémens, is an opera-ballet
by the French
composers André Cardinal Destouches
and Michel Richard Delalande
(or de Lalande). It has a prologue and four entrées. The libretto
was written by Pierre-Charles Roy
.
Destouches was responsible for most of the music. It has never been ascertained how much each composer contributed to the composition. In a 1726 letter, Destouches wrote to Antonio I, Prince of Monaco: "We were ordered to work in partnership; he [Delalande] wrote very fine things whose details I implore you to spare me, for he demanded of me that we should be covered by the same cloak". Delalande probably wrote the overture, much of the prologue and some parts of the first entrée. Jean Balon provided the choreography.
: its four entrées are musically and dramatically independent, but topically related to one another. Its subject matter, however – gods, heroes and ancient Romans – relates it more to the special type of opéra-ballet called "ballet-héroïque".
The opera was first performed at the Tuileries, Paris on 22 or 31 December 1721, with the 11-year-old Louis XV
participating in the dancing. It was revived at the Paris Opéra
from 29 May 1725, with increasing success, the degree of which "may be gauged by the fact that it remained in the repertory for more than 50 years and was revived in 1727, 1734, 1742, 1767, 1771, 1776, 1778, and 1780", and that it inspired "three parodies: Momus exilé (1725) at the Théâtre des Italiens
; Le chaos (1725) at the same theatre; Il était temps (1754) at the Saint-Laurent fair". It was also revived at Madame de Pompadour
’s Théâtre des Petits Appartements, on the Grand Escalier des Ambassadeurs in the Palace of Versailles
, on 23 December 1748, in which Madame de Pompadour herself performed.
Les élémens was Destouches's most successful work, and his master Delalande’s only stage work to appear at the Paris Opéra. At court it "marked the end of several eras: it was Lalande’s final stage work, Louis XV’s last stage appearance and the final French court ballet".
There was a modern revival in Versailles
on 7 October 2001 under Jérôme Corréas, with Isabelle Poulenard
, Françoise Masset, Jean-François Lombard, Matthieu Lecroart, and Renaud Delaigue.
, relights the sacred fire and blesses the wedding of his two followers.
, Decca (L’Oiseau-Lyre) 475 9100 (CD).
Opéra-ballet
Opéra-ballet was a popular genre of French Baroque opera, "that grew out of the ballets à entrées of the early seventeeth century". It differed from the more elevated tragédie en musique as practised by Jean-Baptiste Lully in several ways...
by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
composers André Cardinal Destouches
André Cardinal Destouches
André Cardinal Destouches was a French composer best known for the opéra-ballet Les élémens....
and Michel Richard Delalande
Michel Richard Delalande
Michel Richard Delalande [de Lalande] was a French Baroque composer and organist who was in the service of King Louis XIV. He was one of the most important composers of grand motets. He also wrote orchestral suites known as "Simphonies pour les Soupers du Roy" and ballets...
(or de Lalande). It has a prologue and four entrées. The libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
was written by Pierre-Charles Roy
Pierre-Charles Roy
Pierre-Charles Roy was a French poet and man of letters, noted for his collaborations with the composers François Francoeur and André Cardinal Destouches, to produce librettos for several opera-ballets, on classical subjects or pseudo-classical pastiches, for seven tragedies, and for his rivalry...
.
Destouches was responsible for most of the music. It has never been ascertained how much each composer contributed to the composition. In a 1726 letter, Destouches wrote to Antonio I, Prince of Monaco: "We were ordered to work in partnership; he [Delalande] wrote very fine things whose details I implore you to spare me, for he demanded of me that we should be covered by the same cloak". Delalande probably wrote the overture, much of the prologue and some parts of the first entrée. Jean Balon provided the choreography.
Performance history
Les élémens has the typical structure of the opera-balletOpéra-ballet
Opéra-ballet was a popular genre of French Baroque opera, "that grew out of the ballets à entrées of the early seventeeth century". It differed from the more elevated tragédie en musique as practised by Jean-Baptiste Lully in several ways...
: its four entrées are musically and dramatically independent, but topically related to one another. Its subject matter, however – gods, heroes and ancient Romans – relates it more to the special type of opéra-ballet called "ballet-héroïque".
The opera was first performed at the Tuileries, Paris on 22 or 31 December 1721, with the 11-year-old Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
participating in the dancing. It was revived at the Paris Opéra
Académie Royale de Musique
The Salle Le Peletier was the home of the Paris Opera from 1821 until the building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The theatre was designed and constructed by the architect François Debret on the site of the former Hôtel de Choiseul...
from 29 May 1725, with increasing success, the degree of which "may be gauged by the fact that it remained in the repertory for more than 50 years and was revived in 1727, 1734, 1742, 1767, 1771, 1776, 1778, and 1780", and that it inspired "three parodies: Momus exilé (1725) at the Théâtre des Italiens
Comédie-Italienne
Over time, there have been several buildings and several theatrical companies named the "Théâtre-Italien" or the "Comédie-Italienne" in Paris. Following the times, the theatre has shown both plays and operas...
; Le chaos (1725) at the same theatre; Il était temps (1754) at the Saint-Laurent fair". It was also revived at Madame de Pompadour
Madame de Pompadour
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, also known as Madame de Pompadour was a member of the French court, and was the official chief mistress of Louis XV from 1745 to her death.-Biography:...
’s Théâtre des Petits Appartements, on the Grand Escalier des Ambassadeurs in the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
, on 23 December 1748, in which Madame de Pompadour herself performed.
Les élémens was Destouches's most successful work, and his master Delalande’s only stage work to appear at the Paris Opéra. At court it "marked the end of several eras: it was Lalande’s final stage work, Louis XV’s last stage appearance and the final French court ballet".
There was a modern revival in Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
on 7 October 2001 under Jérôme Corréas, with Isabelle Poulenard
Isabelle Poulenard
Isabelle Poulenard is a soprano.Poulenard was born in Paris, France. Her work has generally been focused on music of the French Baroque, however, she has performed and recorded George Frideric Handel and Georg Philipp Telemann...
, Françoise Masset, Jean-François Lombard, Matthieu Lecroart, and Renaud Delaigue.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Cast of premiere (22 December 1721) |
Cast of Palais-Royal revival 29 May 1725 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conductor | Jean-Féry Rebel Jean-Féry Rebel Jean-Féry Rebel was an innovative French Baroque composer and violinist.-Biography:Rebel , a son of the singer Jean Rebel, a tenor in Louis XIV's private chapel, was a child violin prodigy. He became, at the age of eight, one of his father's most famous musical offspring. Later, he was a student... |
||
| Prologue: “Chaos” (Le Chaos) | |||
| Destiny | basse-taille (lyric bass-baritone) | Justin Destouches du Bourg | Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard was a French operatic baritone .Thévenard was born at Orléans or possibly Paris. Arriving in Paris in 1690, he studied under the composer André Cardinal Destouches and went on to become a member of the Académie Royale de Musique... |
| Vénus | soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody... |
Erémans (also spelled Erremans or Herémans) | Lambert |
| A grace | soprano | Mignier | |
| First entrée: “Air” (l’Air) | |||
| Junon | soprano | Marie Antier | Marie Antier |
| Ixion | basse-taille | Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard | Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard |
| Jupiter | basse-taille | Claude-Louis-Dominique Chassé de Chinais | Claude-Louis-Dominique Chassé de Chinais |
| Mercure | haute-contre Haute-contre The haute-contre is a rare type of high tenor voice, predominant in French Baroque and Classical opera until the latter part of the eighteenth century.-History:... |
Denis-François Tribou | Denis-François Tribou |
| Second entrée: “Water” (l’Eau) | |||
| Leucosie | soprano | Erémans | Erémans |
| Doris | soprano | Souris | Souris |
| Arion | haute-contre | Louis Murayre (also spelled Muraire) | Louis Murayre |
| Neptune | basse-taille | Justin Destouches du Bourg | Justin Destouches du Bourg |
| a triton | haute-contre | Denis-François Tribou | |
| Third entrée: “Fire” (le Feu) | |||
| Émilie | soprano | Marie Antier | Marie Antier |
| Valère | basse-taille | Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard | Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard |
| L'Amour | soprano | Dun | Dun |
| Fourth entrée: “Earth” (la Terre) | |||
| Pomone | soprano | Cathérine-Nicole Le Maure (also spelled Lemaure or Le More) | Cathérine-Nicole Le Maure |
| Vertumne | haute-contre | Louis Murayre | Louis Murayre |
| Pan | basse-taille | Claude-Louis-Dominique Chassé de Chinais | Claude-Louis-Dominique Chassé de Chinais |
| a sheperdess | soprano | Mignier | |
Prologue: Chaos
After Destiny makes the elements replace chaos, Venus complains about her exclusion from the undertaking, Destiny mollifies her by showing her a statue of her future son, Louis XV, who is celebrated by a chorus and is committed to the elements’ favour.1st entrée: Air
Aroused by Mercure to be less aloof, Ixion refuses Junon’s order to spy upon unfaithful Jupiter’s movements and instead declares his love for her. This provokes a terrible fit of anger on her part. As a punishment, Jupiter will consign him to the depths of Hades.2nd entrée: Water
After refusing to marry Eole on account of his bad temper, and because she already loves a stranger from afar, Leucosie welcomes Arion, a stranger who has arrived on the back of a dolphin, to Neptune’s palace. Arion too falls in love with Leucosie. Neptune recognizes him as his own son and orders his marriage to Leucosie.3rd entrée: Fire
This entrée is set in the vestibule of the temple of Vesta, where the priestess Emilie attends to the goddess’s fire for the last time, having received permission to marry Valère. When Valère comes to the temple, Emilie tells him that she had a nightmare in which Vesta had appeared with a great crash, mad with rage, and had struck him dead by lightning. While Valère is trying to reassure her, the temple plunges into darkness, as the sacred fire has gone out: Emilie takes the blame for neglecting it and refuses to flee with her lover, bravely willing to face her deadly punishment. However, Cupid appears over a cloudDeus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
, relights the sacred fire and blesses the wedding of his two followers.
4th entrée: Earth
Pomone seems to disregard love, so Vertumne, who is in love with her, disguises himself as a woman, Nérine, in order to be allowed to approach her. In this disguise, Vertumne witnesses Pomone rejecting Pan’s approaches, and then is made aware by her of her secret love for him. He reveals himself and the entrée ends in a ballet and chorus celebrating Love.Recordings
Excerpts from the work have been recorded by The Academy of Ancient Music, conducted by Christopher HogwoodChristopher Hogwood
Christopher Jarvis Haley Hogwood CBE, MA , HonMusD , born 10 September 1941, Nottingham, is an English conductor, harpsichordist, writer and musicologist, well known as the founder of the Academy of Ancient Music.-Biography:...
, Decca (L’Oiseau-Lyre) 475 9100 (CD).