Platée
Platée is a character whose self-deception and entrancement places her in the middle of a heartless plot, devised by the gods to cure Juno of her obsessive jealousy over Jupiter and his romantic attachments. Jupiter pretends to fall in love with Platée only to abandon her once Juno arrives, proving she has no reason to be jealous.
Comedy had traditionally played little part in French opera. Lully soon eliminated comic episodes from his tragedies; from then until the appearance of this work, only a handful of operas had comic themes. That for Platée is the mock marriage between the god Jupiter and an ugly marsh nymph, who is totally convinced of her own charms. As such, the story seems grotesquely ill-suited to the occasion for which the opera was commissioned - the wedding of the Dauphin and (an unsightly?) Spanish princess Maria Teresa - though it was well enough received at the time. While all this may seem rather perverse, the cruelty of laughing at an unattractive and hopelessly vain woman is kept at a distance by the role of Platée being sung by a tenor. And whatever the comedy in Platée's plight, our sympathies are with the nymph throughout. A first production for Garsington Opera, this Platée is the chance to indulge in grand choruses and fabulous dances played out in a French Baroque world of glamour and deception. Critically acclaimed from the summer 2024 Festival, the production is directed by Louisa Muller, designed by Christopher Oram, and conducted by Baroque specialist Paul Agnew (a former Platée himself) making his Garsington debut with The English Concert.
CAST
In order of singing
Satyr, Chitheron | Henry Waddington |
|---|---|
Thespis, Mercury | Robert Murray |
Maenads | Audrey Tsang Nancy Holt |
Thalie | Holly Brown |
Momus | Jonathan McGovern |
Amor | Victoria Songwei Li |
Platée | Samuel Boden |
Clarine | Holly Teague |
Jupiter | Ossian Huskinson |
La Folie | Mireille Asselin |
Juno | Annabel Kennedy |
Dancers | Marco Venturini (Dance Captain) Zaynah Ahmed Vikki Clark Jay Jobarteh Malin Kvist Helen Parsons Jessica Saisang-Rowe Leah Wallings |
Orchestra | The English Concert Continuo: Christopher Bucknall (Harpsichord) Joe Crouch (Cello) |
Chorus | Garsington Opera Chorus |
| ... | |
Music | Jean-Philippe Rameau |
|---|---|
Text | Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d'Orville |
Conductor | Paul Agnew |
Director | Louisa Muller |
Sets & Costumes | Christopher Oram |
Lights | Malcom Rippeth |
Video | Illuminos |
Movement director | Rebecca Howell |
Publisher | Société Jean-Philippe Rameau and Bärenreiter Verlag, Kassel |
| ... | |
STORY
Prologue
In the early morning hours after a wild night, Thespis (the inventor of comedy) sings in praise of Bacchus. Momus (the personification of satire) and Thalie (the muse of comedy) dream up a new entertainment to satirise the faults of both humans and gods: they will stage Jupiter’s attempt to cure Juno of her jealousy by finding the most unlikely new partner for him, assisted by Amor. Led by Thespis, the group celebrates and invokes Bacchus to help them create their new form of drama.
Act I
Mercury explains to Chitheron that Jupiter has instructed him to deal with the problem of Juno’s jealousy. Chitheron has the perfect plan: Jupiter should pretend to be in love with Platée, a vain nymph who believes every man she meets to be madly in love with her. Juno is to be made jealous of Jupiter’s supposed new mistress and discover them together. When Juno sees how absurd Platée is, she will realise how unreasonable her jealousy has been, and the heavenly couple will be reunited. Platée appears and makes herself at home. Despite being repeatedly rebuffed, Platée attempts to seduce Chitheron, convinced that his reticence is a sign of his love for her. When Chitheron and Mercury inform her that in fact it is Jupiter who has fallen under her spell, she is delighted and prepares to meet the king of the gods.
Act II
Mercury has persuaded Juno to search for her unfaithful husband in Athens, allowing him and Chitheron to develop their plan in peace. Jupiter arrives and takes on various guises, bewildering Platée, who attempts to get close to him. Finally he appears as himself and pledges his love to her. A celebration begins, assisted by the surprise appearance of La Folie. She sings of the power of love and music, while recounting the tales of Apollo and Daphne, and Zephyr and Flora. Platée’s excitement about her impending marriage continues to grow.
Act III
Having failed to find Jupiter in Athens, Juno returns home in fury. She is persuaded by Mercury to hide and observe the proceedings. The stage is set for the wedding of Jupiter and Platée. When Platée wonders why Amor and Hymen have not come to bless their marriage, Momus arrives dressed as a makeshift Amor. La Folie also joins the party. Jupiter and the others stall the wedding ceremony in various ways as they wait for Juno to appear. Finally, as they are about to take their vows, Juno storms in and puts an end to the farce. Jupiter and Juno are reconciled and return to their heaven, while Platée, ridiculed and humiliated, is left alone on earth.
GALLERY
