Chorus: Priestesses of Minerva, followers of Égée, warriors, inhabitants of the Underworld, people of Athens, Furies
Synopsisedit
Act 1edit
Princess Églé is in love with Thésée and prays for his safe return from battle against rebels who are threatening King Égée of Athens. Égée enters victorious. He tells Églé he is in love with her, despite being betrothed to the sorceress Médée. Égée says he now intends to marry Médée to his son, whom he has hidden away at Troezen and has not seen for years. The Athenians celebrate their victory with a sacrifice to the goddess Minerva.
Act 2edit
Médée is in love with Thésée. She agree to let Égée break off their engagement so he can pursue Églé. Égée is jealous of Thésée's popularity with the people of Athens, who want to make him the king's heir because of his bravery in battle. Médée offers to help Thésée, who reveals to her that he is in love with Églé, provoking the sorceress to jealousy.
Act 3edit
Médée threatens Églé that she will use her magic against her if the princess does not renounce her love for Thésée and marry the king instead. She conjures up a vision of a terrifying desert full of monsters and also menaces Églé with demons from hell. Médée also says she will put Thésée's life in danger if Églé does not comply. She conjures a vision of the sleeping Thésée in which she threatens to sacrifice him with a knife. Thésée wakes and is perplexed by Églé's sudden coldness towards him. She explains she is trying to save his life. Thésée reveals that he is Égée's son from Troezen. Médée appears to relent and bless the betrothal of Thésée and Églé.
Act 4edit
In reality, Médée is still tortured by jealousy. She persuades Égée to kill Thésée, warning him that if he makes Thésée his heir the king will wrong his missing son. Égée hands Thésée a poisoned chalice but he recognises Thésée's sword and realises the young man must be his son. Just in time, he prevents Thésée from drinking the poison. He agrees to let Thésée marry Églé. Thwarted, Médée escapes only to reappear on a flying chariot pulled by dragons. She threatens to burn down the palace but the goddess Minerve prevents her and raises a magnificent new palace and the opera ends with rejoicing.
Recordingedit
Thésée Frédéric Antoun, Jennifer Borghi, Thibaut Lénaerts, Bénédicte Fadeux, Aurélie Franck, Choeur de Chambre de Namur, Les Agrémens, conducted by Guy Van Waas (2 CDs, Ricercar, 2013)
Sourcesedit
Original libretto on BNF Gallica
Booklet notes to the Van Waas recording by Benoît Dratwicki
May 03, 2024
thésée, gossec, thésée, theseus, opera, composer, françois, joseph, gossec, first, performed, académie, royale, musique, march, 1782, setting, revised, version, four, acts, libretto, philippe, quinault, originally, jean, baptiste, lully, 1675, contents, roles,. Thesee Theseus is an opera by the composer Francois Joseph Gossec first performed at the Academie Royale de Musique on 1 March 1782 It is a setting of a revised version in four acts of a libretto by Philippe Quinault originally set by Jean Baptiste Lully in 1675 Contents 1 Roles 2 Synopsis 2 1 Act 1 2 2 Act 2 2 3 Act 3 2 4 Act 4 3 Recording 4 SourcesRoles editCast Voice type Premiere Egle princess raised under the supervision of Egee King of Athens soprano Antoinette Saint Huberty Cleone confidante of Egle soprano Gertrude Girardin Arcas confidant of Egee basse taille bass baritone Moreau Grande pretresse de Minerve high priestess of Minerva soprano Chateauvieux Egee Aegeus King of Athens basse taille bass baritone Henri Larrivee Medee Medea a princess and enchantress soprano Francoise Claude Marie Rosalie Campagne called Mlle Duplant Dorine confidante of Medee soprano Suzanne Joinville Thesee Theseus unknown son of Egee haute contre Joseph Legros Minerve the goddess Minerva soprano Chateauvieux Deux vieillards two old men tenor basse taille Etienne Lainez Auguste Athanase Augustin Cheron Une vieille an old woman soprano Anne Marie Jeanne Gavaudan fr the elder Chorus Priestesses of Minerva followers of Egee warriors inhabitants of the Underworld people of Athens FuriesSynopsis editAct 1 edit Princess Egle is in love with Thesee and prays for his safe return from battle against rebels who are threatening King Egee of Athens Egee enters victorious He tells Egle he is in love with her despite being betrothed to the sorceress Medee Egee says he now intends to marry Medee to his son whom he has hidden away at Troezen and has not seen for years The Athenians celebrate their victory with a sacrifice to the goddess Minerva Act 2 edit Medee is in love with Thesee She agree to let Egee break off their engagement so he can pursue Egle Egee is jealous of Thesee s popularity with the people of Athens who want to make him the king s heir because of his bravery in battle Medee offers to help Thesee who reveals to her that he is in love with Egle provoking the sorceress to jealousy Act 3 edit Medee threatens Egle that she will use her magic against her if the princess does not renounce her love for Thesee and marry the king instead She conjures up a vision of a terrifying desert full of monsters and also menaces Egle with demons from hell Medee also says she will put Thesee s life in danger if Egle does not comply She conjures a vision of the sleeping Thesee in which she threatens to sacrifice him with a knife Thesee wakes and is perplexed by Egle s sudden coldness towards him She explains she is trying to save his life Thesee reveals that he is Egee s son from Troezen Medee appears to relent and bless the betrothal of Thesee and Egle Act 4 edit In reality Medee is still tortured by jealousy She persuades Egee to kill Thesee warning him that if he makes Thesee his heir the king will wrong his missing son Egee hands Thesee a poisoned chalice but he recognises Thesee s sword and realises the young man must be his son Just in time he prevents Thesee from drinking the poison He agrees to let Thesee marry Egle Thwarted Medee escapes only to reappear on a flying chariot pulled by dragons She threatens to burn down the palace but the goddess Minerve prevents her and raises a magnificent new palace and the opera ends with rejoicing Recording editThesee Frederic Antoun Jennifer Borghi Thibaut Lenaerts Benedicte Fadeux Aurelie Franck Choeur de Chambre de Namur Les Agremens conducted by Guy Van Waas 2 CDs Ricercar 2013 Sources editOriginal libretto on BNF Gallica Booklet notes to the Van Waas recording by Benoit Dratwicki Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thesee Gossec amp oldid 1026607075, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
