Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Jean-Baptiste Lully's "Armide," a timeless masterpiece of Baroque opera now available on Naxos. This 2008 release captures the essence of Lully's genius, offering a comprehensive journey through the tragic love story of Armide and Renaud.
"Armide" is a grand opera in five acts, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully with a libretto by Philippe Quinault. This recording, spanning over two hours, features a meticulously curated tracklist that includes all the key arias and choruses that bring the dramatic narrative to life. From the triumphant "Dans un jour de triomphe" to the poignant "Le perfide Renaud me fuit," each piece showcases Lully's unparalleled ability to blend music and drama.
The album is a testament to Lully's influence and legacy in the world of Baroque music. His compositions, characterized by their intricate melodies and rich harmonies, continue to captivate audiences centuries after their creation. This recording is a must for anyone interested in the rich tapestry of Baroque opera, offering a chance to experience the music in its full glory.
The performance is brought to life by a talented ensemble, with each vocalist delivering a powerful and nuanced interpretation of their roles. The orchestration is equally impressive, with the music beautifully rendered to highlight the depth and complexity of Lully's compositions.
Whether you are a seasoned enthusiast of Baroque music or a newcomer to the genre, "Armide" by Jean-Baptiste Lully is an essential addition to your collection. This album not only celebrates the enduring appeal of Lully's music but also provides a window into the cultural and artistic landscape of 17th-century France.
2008 Naxos2008 Naxos
Tracks
Armide: OvertureJean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act I Scene 1: Dans un jour de triomphe (Phenice, Sidonie, Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act I Scene 1: Un songe affreux (Armide, Sidonie)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act I Scene 2: Armide, que le sang qui m'unit avec vous (Hidraot, Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act I Scene 3: Armide est encor plus aimable (Hidraot, Chorus)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act I Scene 3: Suivons Armide, et chantons sa Victoire (Phenice, Chorus, Sidonie)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act I Scene 4: O Ciel! O disgrace cruelle! (Aronte, Armide, Hidraot, Chorus)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act I: Entr'acteJean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act II Scene 1: Invincible Heros, c'est par votre courage (Artemidore, Renaud)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act II Scene 2: Arretons-nous ici, c'est dans ce lieu fatal (Hidraot, Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act II Scene 3: Plus j'observe ces lieux, et plus je les admire (Renaud)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act II Scene 4: Au temps heureux ou l'on scait plaire (Une Naiade, Chorus, Une Bergere heroique)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act II Scene 5: Enfin il est en ma puissance (Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act II: Entr'acte (Marche)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act III Scene 1: Ah! Si la liberte me doit etre ravie (Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act III Scene 2: Que ne peut point votre art? (Phenice, Sidonie, Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act III Scene 3: Venez, Haine implacable (Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act III Scene 4: Je reponds a tes voeux (La Haine, Chorus, Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act III: Entr'acte (Air)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act IV Scene 1: Nous ne trouvons par tout que des Gouffres ouverts (Le Chevalier danois, Ubalde)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act IV Scene 2: Voici la charmante Retraite (Lucinde, Chorus, Ubalde, Le Chevalier danois)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act IV Scene 3: Je tourne en vain (Le Chevalier danois, Ubalde)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act IV: Entr'acte (Air)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act V Scene 1: Armide, vous m'allez quitter? (Renaud, Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act V Scene 2: Les Plaisirs ont choisi pour asile (Un Amant fortune, Chorus, Renaud)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act V Scene 3: Il est seul (Ubalde, Renaud, Le Chevalier danois)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act V Scene 4: Renaud? Ciel! O mortelle peine! (Armide, Renaud, Le Chevalier danois, Ubalde)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Armide: Act V Scene 5: Le perfide Renaud me fuit (Armide)Jean-Baptiste Lully, Stephanie Houtzeel, Robert Getchell, François Loup, William Sharp, Ann Monoyios, Miriam Dubrow, Tony Boutté, Darren Perry, Adria McCulloch, Tara McCredie, Opera Lafayette Chorus, Opera Lafayette Orchestra, Ryan Brown
Jean-Baptiste Lully, born Giovanni Battista Lulli in Florence, Italy, was a towering figure in the world of French Baroque music. His journey from humble Italian beginnings to becoming the preeminent composer and musician at the court of Louis XIV is a testament to his extraordinary talent and ambition. Lully's mastery extended beyond composition to include virtuoso violin playing and dancing, making him a versatile and captivating performer. He is best known for his operas and collaborations with the renowned playwright Molière, creating iconic comédie-ballets such as "Le Bourgeois gentilhomme." Lully's influence was so profound that his musical style was emulated across Europe. Despite his tragic death from gangrene, stemming from a self-inflicted injury while conducting, his legacy endures as the founder of French opera and a master of the French Baroque style.