Name: Castor et Pollux
Start: 2022-05-15T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2022-06-18T00:00:00.000Z
Location: The Sheldonian Theatre

Organization

Conductor

Jonathan Williams

Stage director

Guido Martin-Brandis

Singer

Soprano

Hilary Cronin

Télaïre

Galina Averina

Phébé

Tenor

Rory Carver

Castor

Bass

Peter Harvey

Le Grand Prètre de Jupiter

Jack Lawrence-Jones

Pollux

Jenni Harper

Vénus

Harry Grig

Amour, Le grand Prêtre

Sheldonian Theatre

The Opera Company

Orchestra

Rameau Project Orchestra

Emily Gray

Minerve

Castor et Pollux -  (Castor and Pollux)

Oxford

United Kingdom

The Sheldonian Theatre

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) is the leading French contemporary of Bach, Handel and Vivaldi, and his 30 lavish stage works composed for the Paris of Louis XV place him among the top three opera composers of the eighteenth century. The live  performance was the very first chance in the UK to hear his Castor et Pollux in its original and revolutionary version of 1737 – this opera has something for everyone to enjoy: rousing choruses, toe-tapping dances and some of Baroque music’s most beautiful arias.

Castor et Pollux has been reconstructed by Oxford conductor Jonathan Williams whose previous Rameau performances with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and English Touring Opera have been so enjoyed by Oxford audiences. Giving this performance are the Rameau Project Choir and Orchestra and a starry cast which includes Hilary Cronin (double winner of the 2021 Handel Singing Competition) and renowned baritone Peter Harvey. The production also gave a platform to rising stars within opera to showcase their talents so taking on the role of Castor is Rory Carver and the role of Pollux will be sung by Jack Lawrence-Jones.

The libretto by soldier-turned-poet Pierre-Joseph Bernard is a classic tale of revenge, passion, jealousy and self-sacrifice. Inspiring Rameau to some of his finest music, Castor et Pollux was rightly hailed as his ‘crowning achievement’. The drama was brought to life for us through a new semi-staging by director Guido Martin-Brandis, whose recent productions have been critically acclaimed by The Times and Opera Now.

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