Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville: Titon et l'Aurore

Photo: © Stefan Brion

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About this event

‘Titon et l’Aurore’ is a tale and an allegory. Titon, the shepherd, and Aurore, the fugitive, are in love, despite the passage of time and the envy of Gods. Confusion sets in, nymphs and faunas get involved…

William Christie and Basil Twist have brought this feast for the senses back to life. Christie has promoted Baroque music in all its variety for over 40 years before reviving the memory of Mondonville. Twist studied puppetry in France and is now making a return visit from New York, bringing his visual wizardry with him to bring statues, divinities, elements and natural phenomena to life on stage.

Pastorale héroïque in a prologue and three acts by Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville.

Libretto by the Abbé de Voisenon after Houdar de la Motte and the Abbé de La Marre.

Creation at the Académie royale de musique (Opéra), 9 January 1753.

Composers

Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville

Featuring

William Christie,

Les Arts Florissants,

Choeur Les Arts Florissants,

Reinoud Van Mechelen,

Featuring

Musical direction: William Christie

Stage direction, sets, costumes, puppetry: Basil Twist

Video creation: Daniel Brodie

Lighting: Jean Kalman

Artistic collaborator for the stage direction: Constance Larrieu

Costumes Assistant: Alain Blanchot

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Titon: Reinoud Van Mechelen

L’Aurore: Gwendoline Blondeel

Palès: Emmanuelle de Negri

Eole: Marc Mauillon

Amour: Julie Roset

Prométhée: Renato Dolcini

Nymphes: Virginie Thomas, Maud Gnidzaz, Juliette Perret

Puppeteers: Valentin Arnoux, Coline Fouilhé, David Girondin Moab, Cristina Iosif, Sylvain Menard, Candice Picaud, Diana-Elizabeth Neva Jaramillo, Philippe Rodriguez-Jorda

Chorus and Orchestra: Les Arts Florissants

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Production of the Opéra-Comique.

In coproduction with Les Arts Florissants and the Opéra Royal - Château de Versailles Spectacles.

Film direction:François Roussillon.

A coproduction between Opéra-Comique and François Roussillon et Associés.

With the participation of Mezzo, TV5 Monde, Olympia TV, medici.tv.

With the support of Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée.

Audiovisual production and distribution: FRA Prod.

Repertoire

Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville: Titon et l'Aurore op. 7

Duration: approx. 128 minutes.

Sung in French.

Recording date: 2021

Recording location: Opéra Comique, Paris, France.