MARIN MARAIS Sémélé Tragédie Lyrique Paris, 1709
Le Concert SpirituelHervé Niquet
GCD 921614
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Performing artists
Sémélé: Shannon MercerDorine: Bénédicte TauranLa Grande Prêtresse de Bacchus: Jaël AzzarettiJunon: Hjördis ThébaultAdraste: Anders J. DahlinJupiter: Thomas DoliéMercure: Lisandro AbadieCadmus: Marc Labonnette
Production details
Recorded at Notre Dame du Liban, Paris, inFebruary 2007Engineered by Manuel MohinoProduced by Dominique DaigremontExecutive producer: Carlos CésterDesign: Valentín Iglesias (00:03:00)Booklet essay: Benoît DratwickiEnglish Français Español Deutsch
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MARIN MARAIS
Sémélé Tragédie lyrique de Marin MaraisParis, 1709
CD I [75:59]PrologueActe PremierActe DeuxièmeCD II [61:27]Acte TroisièmeActe QuatrièmeActe Cinquième
About this CD
For his latest recording directing Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet has revived Sémélé by Marin Marais – the final opera by one of the leading composers from the reign of Louis XIV. Known above all for his compositions for the viola da gamba, Marais the composer was at the same time the author of a number of tragédies lyriques which he wrote for the Académie royale de Musique. Even to this day it has only been Alcyone which has attracted the attention of music lovers and musicians. Yet Sémélé – first performed in 1709 – arrives now full of music to charm and seduce the listener: a sparkling prologue honouring Bacchus, a set of arias with a freshly-minted appeal, a marvellously inventive diabolical scene, divertissements rich in character; all this leading up to an earthquake scene memorably anticipating the later work of Rameau. For all lovers of glorious baroque music, here is now the opportunity to discover and enjoy a masterpiece which has lain in theshadows for the last three centuries.
Hervé Niquet is far less interested in being known as a Baroque music specialist than for his passionate interest in all of French music, especially its vocal and lyrical compositions and nowadays he is as liable to be found directing a symphony orchestra as his own period instrument ensemble Le Concert Spirituel. It may come, for some, as a surprise to find Niquet teaming up with the Brussels Philharmonic to record Debussy but this future release will mark the inauguration of a new adventure for Niquet and Glossa focusing on the music associated with the Prix de Rome competition which drew in scores of leading French composers all the way from 1803 through 1968. [read more...]
Taking a leading role in the revival of tragédies lyriques (or tragédies en musique), the best of the French Baroque opera tradition, is a long, daunting (and expensive) challenge but one which Hervé Niquet has been keen to accept. Present as a singer in the chorus of Les Arts Florissants in 1987 when William Christie put on Lully’s Atys, Niquet formed his own ensemble, Le Concert Spirituel that same year. Since that time he has balanced his own endeavours to stage (and record) key French tragédies with his other musical interests, which extend from Monteverdi to Purcell and Handel (soon to be reissued – now on SACD – is Niquet’s recording of the Fireworks and Water Music suites) right the way through to later composers such as Schumann, Gounod and d’Indy.[read more...]