Lully Amadis is perhaps the most typical and classic "Lully - Opera" at all.
background to work:
The work was performed in Paris in 1684 with great success.
The sources even report that this opera was Lully's most successful work of his career.
the audience not only in Paris found the work very well received, even the most self-proclaimed king this opera to his favorite opera (until then there was always the eight years earlier Tragedie "Atys" was).
At the court was to the death of the Sun King played the work at least once a year, but usually more often. Instrumental passages and scenes were also quite often in the royal Concerts to hear. Many a courtier
already sighed when they played for the umpteenth time again passages from Amadis.
Liselotte von der Pfalz knew while all the operas of Lully by heart (she used very often certain passages from the works), however, she complained in old age about the fact that she had set before ever the same old opera, but what was played at court particular nunmal the king.
The opera is one of the "Christian opera triad: Amadis (1684) - Roland (1685) - Armide (1686)
These last three great operas of Lully had no more to the mythological subject basis but treated French and Christian Ritter epics.
Why?
1684 covered the whole kingdom, a new religion.
The king ended his excesses, and turned to religion, this may well have also leaned on his marriage with Madame de Maintenon, whom he had probably married secretly in this period. (In 1683, the Queen had died).
1685 finally repealed the Edict of Nantes, which was required for some time from many sides. After this act Louis XIV was not known as the Sun King, but - Louis "le Grand" - called.
On this wave of resurgent Catholicism in France, moved well with Lully's operas, which have always been politicized (which you did not forgive him for long).
But even if the music of Lully's most politically, actually even propaganda music of French absolutism, but it says nothing about the quality of his music.
His music was loved and spread throughout Europe.
Lully had the good fortune not to have to work under time pressure, he had all the means available. And so is every opera (every year he wrote only one work) of high quality, both musically and literarily.
Almost all opera texts come from the esteemed Philippe Quinault, was called to Racine, Molière, Benserade, La Fontaine and Corneille in the same breath.
So also
Amadis, although the act may affect the opera for opera lovers today's somewhat confusing, but in the age of Baroque opera, was something not so unusual.
course, the opera follows the usual structure: prologue, 5 acts, each with a divertissement.
The story tells the somewhat convoluted story of the love of the knight Amadis, and the Princess Oriana. After various complications
is exceptional but a happy ending times at the end of the Tragedie Lyrique.
Musically, this work is a lot to offer, that makes it perhaps typical of Lully's work.
The prologue opens with an equally fascinating scene. A duet and a furious Choir wit Empress
The divertissement of the first act is all about courtly pomp, 3 of the finest brass bands Lully come here to train, and also with a chorus of trumpets and drums accompanied. Most
were then used later this fanfare for royal ceremonies.
In the second act is perhaps one of the largest pieces of Lully, the tenor aria "Bois épais" which can be found on most older singers recitals.
The divertissement is a lull Symphony, which commemorates the famous dream scene from Atys. This is interrupted by the por les airs et les Demons Monstres abruptly. The
has third act is almost entirely non divertissement, it is a prison scene and the "Choeur des captives is one of the most beautiful the Lully probably ever written.
The divertissement of Act IV is again a demon scene, which, however, converts to the exemption by Amadis Oriana in a temporary happy ending.
The divertissement of the fifth act is a monumental finale, a certain similarity to his first work, "Cadmus et Hermione (1673) suggests itself, whether there was the 5th act almost exclusively reserved for the finale, there is no real plot more. The great final Chaconne with soloists and choir is one of the most monumental compositions Lully in this species (nearly 15 minutes long)
Why has this opera such a big priority for me?
Well, the opening scene of the prologue, was also the first thing I had heard of Lully. At that time the school television (the history of conducting).
me these four minutes of music had so überweltigt that since I bought all this experience, where Lully was it.
Unfortunately I had to wait another 10 years to this wonderful opera CD releases. In the meantime, I got hold
CD's with a few excerpts, mostly instrumental pieces, such as the first part of the great Chaconne. Then followed
also records, for only in older recordings were all suits related to (Leppard and the English Chamber Orchestra, Paillard and his Orchestre de Chambre and the Collegium Aureum).
But then finally came out, the total intake under Hugo Reyne.
He auctioned a score in the 18th Century, this opera, along with other printing (Isis and Le Triomphe de l'Amour)
When he sighted the score of Amadis, he exclaimed: But I've lived!
And never have I seen someone more.
This opera might not be as dramatic and conclusive as Armide, but it is simply a masterpiece musically, I all other Lully operas, generally all operas in music history would prefer.
found any case Reyne investors for his project, these three works einzuspielen, created the series "Lully ou le Musiciens du Soleil" is
Amadis Vol VIII
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