The London ColiseumSt. Martin's Lane, London, Greater London, WC2N 4ES, Vereinigtes Königreich
Datum/Zeit in London Zeitzone
Darsteller
| English National Opera | ||
| Christian Curnyn | Musikalische Leitung | |
| English National Opera Orchestra | ||
| Barrie Kosky | Regie | |
| Katrin Lea Tag | Bühnenbild | |
| English National Opera Chorus | ||
| Sophie Bevan | Sopran | Télaïre |
| Laura Tătulescu | Mezzosopran | Phoebe |
| Allan Clayton | Tenor | Castor |
| Roderick Williams | Bariton | Pollux |
| Henry Waddington | Bass | Jupiter |
| Andrew Rupp | Bariton | Hohepriester des Jupiter |
| Ed Lyon | Tenor | Merkur / Athlet |
Rameau's Castor and Pollux offers a different take on the theme of visiting the underworld to recover a lost soul – a myth stretching all the way from the familiar Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice to Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
In this case the Spartan twins Castor and Pollux – both sons of Jupiter and heroes in battle – have the unfortunate distinction that the former is mortal and the latter is immortal: and both are in love with the mortal princess Telaira; as ill-luck – or fate – would have it, she loves only Castor, who dies in battle. Telaira calls on Pollux to intercede with his father and bring Castor back to life; Pollux reluctantly agrees, but Jupiter cannot override the laws of nature – Castor can return from the dead only if Pollux takes his place. Pollux shakes off Telaira's friend Phoebe, who loves him and tries to stop him, and battles the demons guarding Hades; there he meets Castor, who vows to return to Sparta only for one day.
On seeing Castor, Phoebe – imagining her hopes are dashed for ever – kills herself; and Telaira, learning of Castor's pledge, accuses him of never having loved her. Jupiter arrives as a deus ex machina to resolve the problem by granting immortality to both twins, who enter the heavens as the constellation of Gemini. The women's fate is a bitter one...
In this case the Spartan twins Castor and Pollux – both sons of Jupiter and heroes in battle – have the unfortunate distinction that the former is mortal and the latter is immortal: and both are in love with the mortal princess Telaira; as ill-luck – or fate – would have it, she loves only Castor, who dies in battle. Telaira calls on Pollux to intercede with his father and bring Castor back to life; Pollux reluctantly agrees, but Jupiter cannot override the laws of nature – Castor can return from the dead only if Pollux takes his place. Pollux shakes off Telaira's friend Phoebe, who loves him and tries to stop him, and battles the demons guarding Hades; there he meets Castor, who vows to return to Sparta only for one day.
On seeing Castor, Phoebe – imagining her hopes are dashed for ever – kills herself; and Telaira, learning of Castor's pledge, accuses him of never having loved her. Jupiter arrives as a deus ex machina to resolve the problem by granting immortality to both twins, who enter the heavens as the constellation of Gemini. The women's fate is a bitter one...
