Lully: Persee 1770

Nearly a century after it's composition, Lully's Persée was recreated in 1770 to mark an exceptional event: the inauguration of the Royal Opera House at Versailles Palace, built to celebrate the wedding of the Dauphin and Marie Antoinette. For this unique occasion, three composers (Antoine Dauvergne, Francois Rebel and Bernard de Bury) were commissioned to revise Lully's work and adapt it to the new circumstances and the new venue, which was regarded as absolutely extraordinary in it's time. Lovers of Lully's opera will therefore meet their mythological hero again, now with a richer orchestration and more for the chorus and the ballet dancers to do. There were only two performances in 1770, but they were absolutely sumptuous: 95 choristers, 15 soloists, 80 dancers, 100 extras, 80 instrumentalists, five sets and 350 costumes. Listeners can now re-live that historic event thanks to a recording conducted by the leading specialist in this repertory, Hervé Niquet.