Proserpine (Lully)

Proserpine (Proserpina) is an opera with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and a libretto by Philippe Quinault first performed at Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 3 February 1680.[1]

Title page of Proserpine

Roles
Roles, voice types, premiere cast
Role Voice type Premiere cast, 3 February 1680
Prologue
La Paix (Peace) soprano Catherine Ferdinand
La Félicité (Felicitas) soprano Mlle Rebel
L'Abondance (Abundantia) soprano Mlle Puvigné (or Puvigny)
La Discorde (Discord) tenor (en travesti) Puvigné (or Puvigny)
La Victoire (Victoria) soprano Claude Ferdinand
Tragédie
Pluton (Pluto) bass Jean Gaye
Ascalaphe (Ascalaphus), son of Acheron, confidant of Pluton bass Antoine Morel
Proserpine soprano Claude Ferdinand
Cérès (Ceres) soprano Mlle de Saint-Christophe (or Saint-Christophle)
Jupiter bass Godonesche
Alphée (Alpheus) haute-contre Bernard Cledière
Aréthuse (Arethusa) soprano Catherine Ferdinand
Mercure (Mercury) tenor Langeais
Cyané, a Sicilian nymph, confidante of Cérès soprano Mlle Bony
Crinise, god of the Sicilian river Crinisus basse-taille Arnoul
Furies 2 tenors and a basse-taille(?) Claude Desvoyes, Puvigny (or Puvigné) and Le Maire
A blessed spirit soprano

Synopsis

Based on Ovid's Metamorphoses, the plot centers around the abduction of Proserpine by Pluton, with side plots concerning Cérès's love for Jupiter and the love intrigue between Alphée and Aréthuse.

Recordings
  • Proserpine, soloists, Le Concert Spirituel, conducted by Hervé Niquet (Glossa, 2 CDs, 2008)
  • Proserpine, CMD German Opera Company of Berlin, conducted by Gertrude Heinz (CMD Recordings, digital download, 2022)

References
  1. Casaglia, Gherardo (2005)."Proserpine, 3 February 1680". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).

Further reading
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