Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)
Castor et Pollux, Tragédie en musique en un prologue et cinq actes (1737 version)
Télaïre: Judith van Wanroij (soprano), Phébé: Véronique Gens (soprano), Castor: Reinoud van Mechelen (tenor), Pollux: Tassis Christoyannis (baritone), Minerve: Olivia Doray (soprano), Vénus: Hasnaa Bennani (soprano), Cupid: Jehanne Amzal (soprano), Mars: David Witczak (baritone), Athlete/High Priest: Attila Varga Tóth (tenor)
Purcell Choir
Orfeo Orchestra/György Vashegyi
rec. 2023, Béla Bartók National Concert Hall of Müpa, Budapest, Hungary
French libretto with English translation
Alpha Classics Alpha 1148 [2CDs: 155]
When Rameau’s operatic masterpiece Castor et Pollux is performed today, it is usually in Rameau’s revision of 1754, which made some quite radical changes to the score in accordance with the evolution in public taste, but this new recording returns to the original 1737 version and aims to represent the ultimate in authentic period practice, being according to a new edition which is the product of years of research under the aegis of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles and conducted by long-time champion of the composer György Vashegyi.
A modern listener has some obstacles to overcome in order to arrive at an appreciation of this opera. One is the artificiality of the plot which is all posturing classical gods spouting elevated sentiments in formal, stilted French and the introduction of various abstract figures such as the Graces, the Arts and the Celestial Pleasures. Another is the lack of variety in the Baroque voice types: the women are all sopranos and the men are tenors and light baritones. Of course, Rameau’s music can transcend these barriers but there are often more invention and novelty in the orchestral passages than in the vocal music and there are times when, if you will excuse my descending into the vernacular, it does go on a bit. Real emotion can break through at high points, however, such as in the choral threnody and the famous aria for Télaïre, “Tristes apprêts”, the funeral music for Castor opening Act I, but the contrast between this opera and Gluck’s treatment of his protagonist’s descent into the Underworld to retrieve a beloved lost soul indicates how profoundly the genre and the sensibilities of its audience developed over a mere thirty years and explains why Rameau felt obliged to revise Castor et Pollux. Dramatic verisimilitude is only fitfully achieved but the music is frequently vivid and diverting. It is indeed a work rich in late Baroque-style “hit numbers” designed to show off vocal soloists to advantage; chief among them is the aforementioned “Tristes apprêts” so beguilingly – nay, mesmerisingly – sung by Nadine Koutcher on Teodor Currentzis’ anthology The Sound of Light. Let me say straight away Judith van Wanroij is also very fine but her application of more vibrato and a fuller voice render it less ethereal and other-worldly. Other celebrated numbers include “Nature, Amour” for Pollux, “Séjour de l’éternelle paix” for Castor, and “Soulevons tous les dieux” for Phébé. The singing of soloists and chorus is mostly uniformly accomplished, although I would not say that “star quality” is much in evidence; it is Rameau’s music which takes centre stage. Best known among the cast is Véronique Gens as the jealous Phébé, who relishes a little light-scenery-chewing in the opening of Act III at the gates of Hell trying to bar Pollux entry. It is one of the liveliest stretches of music in the work; indeed, the whole Act is mostly devoted to her tantrums. The Chorus of Monsters and Demons is a rather a polite crew but the twenty-six members of the Hungarian Purcell Choir are clearly enjoying themselves attempting to “make the Earth quake”. Greek baritone Tassis Christoyannis is adequate but his low notes are weak. I would like to be more enthusiastic about Reinoud van Mechelen as Castor but he has one of those constricted, mixed-falsetto tenor voices which the French in particular now seem to think is obligatory in Baroque music; it gives me little pleasure as it is not the true “haut-contre” sound.
The forty-three-strong Orfeo Orchestra plays beautifully; especially praiseworthy is the team of four mellow flutes who lend so much atmosphere to proceedings. The continuo is flexible and unobtrusive, the percussive effects judiciously applied and balances between instruments and voices are fine.
The provision of the French libretto and translation in English is very welcome, but having booklet pasted into the cardboard case makes it cumbersome to handle and read.
Ralph Moore
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