Hippolyte et Aricie (Hippolytus and Aricia) was the first opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was premiered to great controversy by the Académie Royale de Musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal in Paris on October 1, 1733. The French libretto, by Abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin, is based on Racine's tragedy Phèdre. The opera takes the traditional form of a tragédie en musique with an allegorical prologue followed by five acts. Early audiences found little else conventional about the work.
Librettist | Simon Joseph Pellegrin |
Date of composition | 1733 (revised in: 1742-43, 1757, 1767;) in Versailles, France |
First published | 1733 in Paris, France |
Type | Tragédie en musique (Musical Tragedy) |
Instruments |
Voice (Haute-contre)
- Hippolyte (Hippolytus)
Voice (Soprano) - Aricie (Aricia) Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Phèdre (Phaedra) Voice (Bass) - Thésée (Theseus) Voice (Baritone) - Pluton (Pluto) Voice (Tenor) - Diane (Diana) Voice (Soprano) - Œnone (Phèdre's confidante) Voice (Tenor) - Arcas (friend to Thésée) Voice (Haute-contre) - Mercure (Mercury) Voice (Baritone) - Taille ; Tisiphone Voice (Tenor) - L'Amour (Cupid) Voice (Soprano) - La Grande Prêtresse (High Priestess) Voice (Bass) - Parque (Faith) Voice (Bass-Baritone) - Parque (Faith) Voice (Haute-contre) - Parque (Faith) Voice (Haute-contre) - Un suivant de l'Amour (follower of Cupid) Voice (Soprano) - Une prêtresse (a priestess of Diana) Voice (Soprano) - Une bergère (a shepherdess) Voice (Soprano) - Une matelote (a female sailor) Voice (Soprano) - Une chasseresse (a huntress) Chorus/Choir - Spirits of the underworld, people of Troezen, sailors, huntsmen, nymphs of Diana, shepherds and shepherdesses, people of the forest |
Autotranslations beta |
Jean-Philippe Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie Jean-Philippe Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie Jean-Philippe Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie |