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3) Lully’s Armide: A Wicked Witch and A New Kind of Opera in Service of the King
Lully’s French opera was both a court and public phenomenon, serving as an artistic vehicle to support and cement Louis XIV’s political control as well as an outlet for public consumption on the stages of Paris. His tragédies en musique borrow elements from their Italian counterparts: they have few extended arias, a high level of fluidity between arias and recitatives, and often employ fantastical machines. Yet with the financial backing of the “Sun King’s” court every act in French opera includes a resplendent divertissement featuring dances, choruses, and airs in constant exchange. Support from the court facilitates the codification of a larger and more unified orchestra, specified ornamentation, the addition of woodwinds, and a more prominent role for instrumental music. The gender roles shift again, this time with a wicked woman in the spotlight.
We will focus on approaches to meter and time in French recitative, melodic aspects of the lighter, more delicate French airs, and examine the role of Armide, the wicked woman in this opera. Tenor Aaron Sheehan will sing recitatives from Armide (1686) and lead a consideration of tempo and meter in French recitative. Soprano Ann Monoyios will provide technical instruction for singers on French ornamentation and discuss elements of Armide’s famous recitative “Enfin il est en ma puissance.”
Repertoire from Armide
Artemidore and Renaud, “Invincible Heros, c’est par vostre courage” Act 2, Sc. 1 [Sheehan]
Armide, “Enfin, il est en ma puissance” Act 2, Sc. 5
Format: Lecture / Demo / Play and Sing Along
Audience: Everyone who can sing or play anything
Duration: 75 minutes
Materials will be provided in advance.
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