Opus Arte

THE WORLD'S FINEST OPERA
BALLET, THEATRE AND MUSIC

The Royal Opera House
Glyndebourne
Royal Shakespeare Company
Shakespeare's Globe
Rameau: Les Paladins
Rameau: Les Paladins

Topi Lehtipuu (Atis); Stéphanie d'Oustrac (Argie); Laurent Naouri (Orcan); Sandrine Piau (Nerine); René Schirrer (Anselme); François Piolino (Manto)

Inspired by a fable by La Fontaine, Rameau produced perhaps his most brilliant music for his penultimate great work, blending reality and the surreal on several levels.
This passionate new production by José Montalvo stunningly choreographed by Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu, sets new standards in entertainment, charm and ingenuity. The sharp and spectacular multimedia staging does full justice to Rameau’s dazzling burlesque, confirming Olivier Rouvière’s statement that ‘Les Paladins' is the last laugh of a witty 77-year old composer’.
Recorded live in 2004 at the Paris Théâtre du Châtelet in true surround sound, both the virtuoso cast and Les Arts Florissants are in top form, clearly enjoying themselves in the masterful hands of William Christie.

DVD

Genre: Opera
Release Date: 01/11/2005
Sound Formats: DTS Surround; LPCM Stereo
Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic
Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, ES, IT
Catalogue Number: OA0938D
Conductor(s):
William Christie
Orchestra(s):
Les Arts Florissants
Artist(s):
Topi Lehtipuu; Stéphanie d'Oustrac; Laurent Naouri; Sandrine Piau; René Schirrer; François Piolino; Les Arts Florissants; William Christie
"The production is hugely entertaining. José Montalvo makes use of video techniques to dazzle the eye with a variety of metamorphoses: a dancer becomes a butterfly, stone lions come to life, a tiger turns into a wolf, which becomes an elephant...Stéphanie d'Oustrac and Topi Lehtipuu are credible young lovers, d'Oustrac singing her Act 2 ariette, 'Je vole, Armour', with a deeply moving intensity. Sandrine Piau and Laurent Naouri couldn't be bettered as the secondary pair. " (Gramophone)

" Christie conducts with infectious enthusiasm and the singers, especially the romantic leads, Argie (Stephanie d'Oustrac) and Atis (Top Lehtipuu), are superb. An added benefit is an engaging and helpful documentary." (BBC Music Magazine)

"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...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." (Musicweb International)

Topi Lehtipuu (Atis); Stéphanie d'Oustrac (Argie); Laurent Naouri (Orcan); Sandrine Piau (Nerine); René Schirrer (Anselme); François Piolino (Manto)

Inspired by a fable by La Fontaine, Rameau produced perhaps his most brilliant music for his penultimate great work, blending reality and the surreal on several levels.
This passionate new production by José Montalvo stunningly choreographed by Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu, sets new standards in entertainment, charm and ingenuity. The sharp and spectacular multimedia staging does full justice to Rameau’s dazzling burlesque, confirming Olivier Rouvière’s statement that ‘Les Paladins' is the last laugh of a witty 77-year old composer’.
Recorded live in 2004 at the Paris Théâtre du Châtelet in true surround sound, both the virtuoso cast and Les Arts Florissants are in top form, clearly enjoying themselves in the masterful hands of William Christie.

DVD

Genre: Opera
Release Date: 01/11/2005
Sound Formats: DTS Surround; LPCM Stereo
Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic
Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, ES, IT
Catalogue Number: OA0938D

Conductor(s):
William Christie
Orchestra(s):
Les Arts Florissants
Artist(s):
Topi Lehtipuu; Stéphanie d'Oustrac; Laurent Naouri; Sandrine Piau; René Schirrer; François Piolino; Les Arts Florissants; William Christie

"The production is hugely entertaining. José Montalvo makes use of video techniques to dazzle the eye with a variety of metamorphoses: a dancer becomes a butterfly, stone lions come to life, a tiger turns into a wolf, which becomes an elephant...Stéphanie d'Oustrac and Topi Lehtipuu are credible young lovers, d'Oustrac singing her Act 2 ariette, 'Je vole, Armour', with a deeply moving intensity. Sandrine Piau and Laurent Naouri couldn't be bettered as the secondary pair. " (Gramophone)

" Christie conducts with infectious enthusiasm and the singers, especially the romantic leads, Argie (Stephanie d'Oustrac) and Atis (Top Lehtipuu), are superb. An added benefit is an engaging and helpful documentary." (BBC Music Magazine)

"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...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." (Musicweb International)