[ Naxos Blu-ray / Blu-ray ]
Release Date: Friday 24 September 2021
This item is currently out of stock. It may take 6 or more weeks to obtain from when you place your order as this is a specialist product.
Jean-Baptiste Lully's Atys, a tragédie en musique, became known as the 'king's opera' due to Louis XIV's fondness for it. The work stands as a testament to the Sun King's courtly refinement, as well as his moves to make France the centre of European artistic culture. The opera's themes of romantic dilemmas and ultimate tragedy, set amidst the poetic atmosphere of Ovid's classical mythology, create the perfect vehicle for a narrative filled with dramatic intensity combined with a myriad of moving and expressive arias and duets. William Christie conducts this acclaimed production - hailed by The New York Times as being 'as satisfying as it is bold'
"Atys has made a welcome return to the Opéra Comique in a re-creation by the director Jean-Marie Villégier and the conductor William Christie of their 1987 production that captivated the operatic world… the stage picture is consistently opulent, with even Atys and Sangaride dressed ornately, at least until the shattering final act." New York Times
'Bernard Richter finds plenty of passion as Atys... Emmanuelle de Negri catches perfectly the wistfulness of 'Atys est trop heureux'. In smaller roles, all well taken, Paul Agnew and Sophie Daneman stand out. Chorus, orchestra and conductor are first-class.' Gramophone