Issé is an operatic pastorale héroïque by the French composer André Cardinal Destouches. Initially it was in three acts. The definitive revised version consists of a prologue and five acts. The libretto was by Antoine Houdar de la Motte.Wood 1992. Although Destouches was only 25 at the time of its premiere, it is considered his best score.Pitou, vol. 1, pp. 241–242.
Performance history Issé was first performed in a concert version without a prologue in the Salle de la Belle-Cheminée at the Palace of Fontainebleau on 7 October 1697. At the request of Louis XIV, a prologue was added for the official premiere, a concert performance on 17 December at the Trianon (Versailles) for the festivities surrounding the marriage of Princess Marie Adélaïde of Savoy to Louis' grandson, the Duke of Burgundy, to whom Issé was dedicated.Jean-Claude Brenac, Issé Louis XIV was so pleased with the work after its performance at the Trianon, that he gave Destouches a purse containing 200 louis. The first full staging by the Paris Opera (with the prologue and three acts) was on 30 December 1697 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris.. The cast was the same as on 17 December. Destouches revised it in a grander five-act form for its revival at the Palais-Royal on 14 October 1708. Issé was so successful, it remained in the repertory there until 1757. It was also given again a number of times at the court up to 1773. Madame de Pompadour sang the title role for a production in the Théâtre des Petits Cabinets at the Palace of Versailles in 1749.
Roles +RoleVoice typeFontainebleau cast, 7 October 1697Conductor: Antoine GrimaldiTrianon cast, 17 December 1697Conductor: Antoine GrimaldiFive-act version, 14 October 1708Conductor: –PrologueThe first Hespéridesoprano –Marie-Louise DesmatinsMlle DunHerculebaritone –Charles HardouinGabriel-Vincent ThévenardJupiterbaritone –Gabriel-Vincent ThévenardCharles HardouinPastorale héroiqueIssésoprano Marthe Le Rochois Marthe Le Rochois Françoise JournetDorissopranoFanchon MoreauFanchon MoreauMlle PoussinPhilémon (Apollon) Louis Gaulard Dumesny Louis Gaulard Dumesny Jacques CochereauGrand priestbaritone Charles Hardouin Charles Hardouin Charles HardouinHylasbaritone Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard Gabriel-Vincent Thévenard Gabriel-Vincent ThévenardPanbass Jean Dun, 'père' Jean Dun, 'père' Jean Dun, 'père'Shepherd, oraclehaute-contre Jean Boutelou Jean Boutelou Jean BoutelouSleephaute-contre Jean Boutelou Jean Boutelou Buseau
Synopsis Apollon (Apollo), disguised as a shepherd called Philémon, pursues the nymph Issé, while Pan takes an interest in Doris.
Discography Judith van Wanroij, Issé, Chantal Santon-Jeffery, Doris, Eugénie Lefebvre, (La première Hespéride, une Nymphe, une Dryade), Mathias Vidal, Apollon (sous les traits du berger Philémon), Thomas Dolié, Hylas, Matthieu Lécroart, Jupiter, Pan, Etienne Bazola, Hercule, le Grand Prêtre, Stéphen Collardelle, un Berger, (Sommeil, Oracle), Les Chantres du Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, Ensemble Les Surprises, conducted by . 2 CD Ambronay éditions 2019
References Notes
References
Sources Pitou, Spire (1983–1990). The Paris Opéra: An Encyclopedia of Operas, Ballets, Composers, and Performers (3 volumes). Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. . Wood, Caroline (1992), "Issé" in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, vol. 2, p. 833, ed. Stanley Sadie (London)
External links