| Vincent Dumestre | Dirigent | |
| Adèle Charvet | Mezzosopran | Hermione |
| Thomas Dolié | Bariton | Cadmus |
| Eva Zaïcik | Mezzosopran | Charite, Melisse |
| Nicholas Scott | Tenor | Arcas, Nurse |
| Lisandro Abadie | Bariton | Arbas, Pan |
| Guilhem Worms | Bass | Jupiter, The Grand Sacrificer |
| Virgile Ancely | Bass | Draco, Mars |
| Enguerrand de Hys | Tenor | Premier Prince Tyrien, Le Soleil |
| Olivier Fichet | Tenor | Second Prince Tyrien |
| Brenda Poupard | Mezzosopran | L'Amour, Palès, Junon |
| Marine Lafdal-Franc | Sopran | Aglante, Pallas, Hymen |
| Benoit-Joseph Meier | Tenor | L'Envie, Premier Africain |
| Kaëlig Boche | Tenor | Second Africain, Echion |
| Le Poème Harmonique |
In 1672, Lully obtained the King’s privilege for the nascent Académie Royale de Musique. In 1673, he gave his first lyric tragedy (opera), Cadmus and Hermione, which met with incredible success.
As in his previous compositions – divertimentos, court ballets and comedy-ballets – Lully beautifully highlights the voices and the orchestra and multiplies the exceptional arias so enjoyed by the court. And also, with the librettist Philippe Quinault, he introduces the dramatic force of French tragedy in an exclusively musical work: the audience is charmed by the magnificent depiction of heroic love. First tragic heroes, first great love duets, first audience tears: lyric tragedy, opera in the French style, was born and Lully would continue along this path until his death in 1687…and his works were performed until the Revolution.
In 2008, Vincent Dumestre brilliantly revived this foundation work. He is returning to this work after a decade of love for this music and experience acquired by his musicians, with the desire to record it for our CD collection. A celebration of the 350th anniversary of the Académie Royale de Musique with its first masterpiece!
Surtitles in French and English
