Bellérophon

Cover of Bellérophon

Bellérophon is an opera with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and a libretto by Thomas Corneille and Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle first performed by the Opéra at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris on 31 January 1679.

The libretto is based on Hesiod's Theogony. The opera played for nine months and was one of Lully's greatest successes.

Roles

Cast	Voice type	Premiere, 31 January 1679 (Conductor: - )
Apollon (prologue)	bass	François Beaumavielle
Pan (prologue)	baritone	Arnoul
Bacchus (prologue)	tenor	Roy
Bellérophon	haute-contre	Bernard Clédière
Sténobée	soprano	de Saint-Christophe
Philonoé	soprano	Marie Aubry
Argie	mezzo-soprano	Bony
Pallas	mezzo-soprano	de La Prée
Jobate	baritone	Jean Gaye
Amisodar	bass	Nouveau
Pythie	tenor	Roy
Sacrificial priest	bass	Pulvigny

Synopsis

The queen Sténobée (soprano), spurned by Bellérophon (tenor) who loves the princess Philonoé (soprano), has the magician Amisodar (bass) turn the garden into a barren desert and summon a chimera which terrorizes the country of Lycia. Apollo (tenor) appears and all is solved.

Modern performances

The first performance in modern times was by Les Talens Lyriques conducted by Christophe Rousset at the Festival of Beaune, 24 July 2010. It was followed by a two performances in Paris, the first of which was recorded and released in 2011 by the record label Aparté.

Recording

• Bellérophon Cyril Auvity, Ingrid Perruche, Céline Scheen, Les Talens Lyriques, conducted by Christophe Rousset (Aparté, 2 CDs, 2011)

Sources

• Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "Bellérophon". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
• The New Grove French Baroque Masters, ed. Graham Sadler (Macmillan, 1986)
• The Viking Opera Guide ed. Holden (Viking, 1993)
• Le magazine de l'opéra baroque by Jean-Claude Brenac (in French)

External links

• Bellérophon: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project