Hippolyte et Aricie

Jean-Philippe Rameau's first opera, Hippolyte et Aricie, premiered in Paris in 1733 to fierce controversy. Based on Racine's Phèdre, this tragédie en musique broke from the Lullian tradition with its rich orchestration and expressive dissonance. Attendees can experience the work that divided audiences into lullistes and ramistes, featuring a prologue and five acts filled with dances, choruses, and dramatic arias.

The opera's premiere sparked a musical quarrel that defined French baroque opera. Rameau, then nearly 50, stunned the Académie Royale de Musique with his innovative approach. The music, initially deemed too difficult, includes intricate symphonies and a famous Trio des Parques. This revival offers a chance to hear a landmark work that André Campra said contained 'enough music to make ten operas.'