Rameau called this,
his last opera, an ‘opera lyriche’.
However, as Reiner E. Moritz writes
in his excellent booklet notes, it probably
should be called or thought of as a
‘comédie-ballet’. Indeed I should
estimate that about 50% of the entire
performance is ballet. That is all to
do good as it adds to an overall experience
which is rich and strange and infectiously
exciting.
The advertising for
this DVD read something along the lines
of "This passionate new production"
Certainly the singing and orchestral
playing is committed. "Stunningly
choreographed": I shall point out
that it is rather controversial. "Sets
new standards in entertainment and ingenuity";
mostly that is quite true. "The
sharp and spectacular multimedia staging
does full justice to Rameau’s dazzling
burlesque"; Rameau’s music could
have survived quite happily without
it). "Confirming Olivier Rouvière’s
statement that 'Les Paladins’ is the
last laugh of a witty 77-year old composer.";
that I agree with although Rameau is
always joyous and witty.
The Evening Standard
even described the production as "ravishingly
sexy". Perhaps the paper was referring
to the sinuous and provocative movements
that some the dancers are required to
perform alongside their alter–ego characters
to demonstrate to us what is actually
going in their minds. Perhaps it is
refers to the hot-pants - my wife tells
me that I should describe them as short-shorts
so as not to show my age - worn by the
delicious Stephanie d’Oustrac playing
Argie. Or perhaps the paper is referring
to the nudity, especially in Act 2,
which is witty and joyous and not at
all erotic. I cannot be sure, but it
is of course all of those plus a kind
of sexual energy transmitted through
the cast and extraordinarily through
the music which is often so wild, excitable
and daring. No wonder the opera was
slated - if one can describe the reaction
of early 18th century critics
in that way - at the time and lay dormant
for two hundred years. It must have
upset some pompous sensibilities. I
can’t help but feel that Rameau must
have been a supporter of the philosophy
of Rousseau but that’s another subject.
One particular scene in which Anselme
is seduced by Manto, a man dressed as
a woman, upset Rameau’s especial enemy
Charles Colle.
I have never seen a
production of an opera quite like this.
It is choreographed by Jose Montalvo
(also the director) and Dominique Hervieu.
The reputation of this team was already
safe due to the performance of ‘Platée’
in 2003 when, again, they had secured
the services of William Christie, the
greatest Rameau interpreter of our,
or any, time.
So what do you actually
see? The production opens with dance
over the overture. Behind the performers
one sees a horizontally divided screen
right across the stage. Onto this screen
various computer-generated images are
projected creating a sort of double-decker
staging. These are often bizarre even
Pythonesque. A huge rabbit - like something
out of Alice - rather pointedly appears
during Act 1’s very sexy love duet:
"Vous m’aimez’. I still have not
worked out why a tube-train makes an
appearance unless it’s something to
do with Atis’s rather mysterious pilgrimage.
There is also an array of camels, elephants,
lions and tigers which periodically
march across the upper screen.
I found the myriad
trampoliners behind the wonderful opening
aria in Act III not only tiresome but
also off-putting; so much so that I
could hardly look at the screen. Never
mind, it enabled me instead to concentrate
on Rameau’s wonderful music. The dancing
is vigorous and exciting and often very
amusing but the speed of the choreography
seems often to contradict the speed
and even emotional meaning of the music.
I found this mismatch puzzling.
The singing is quite
superb. It would be invidious to single
anyone out. With so much action and
movement required from the young cast
they could be forgiven the odd blemish
of tuning or ensemble but there is practically
none. They handle Rameau’s sometimes
contorted lines incredibly well.
The winner, in spite
of the director’s whims, is Rameau and
for that fact William Christie should
be singled out for praise. His choice
of tempi can be rigorous for each player
in the period instrument band. His love
of the music shows throughout and his
ending of the opera as the music fizzles
out is unbelievably and simultaneously
both risky and witty. The dances are
energetic and yet detailed, dynamics
are graded and ornamentation is consistent
and graceful.
The second disc has
Reiner Moritz’s documentary film, entitled
‘Baroque that rocks’. This lasts almost
an hour and takes you through the convoluted
plot with the help of the performers
and director. We are also guided through
some of the musical highlights with
William Christie and we get to see the
manuscript. I would advise you to do
what I did. Do watch this part first
so as to know what to expect. It will
help you grasp the plot. Incidentally
it is not always easy to read the sub-titles
against the bright screen lighting.
I do wish that Opus Arte would put disc
track numbers against the arias and
dances in the booklet. This would help
everyone to find their way about.
Despite what has been
said about the stage production I have
never enjoyed a Rameau opera as much
as this. This is a warm and brilliant
tribute to a truly great composer by
some exceptional artists. It has been
a real joy studying it for review.
Gary Higginson
Les Arts Florissants Orchestra and Chorus/William
Christie 
BBC
OPUS ARTE OA0938 [71.56 + 128.09] 
