Alcine Explained

Alcine (English: Alcina) is an opera by the French composer André Campra. It takes the form of a tragédie en musique in a prologue and five acts. The libretto, by Antoine Danchet, is based on cantos IV, VI and VII of Ariosto's epic poem Orlando furioso and tells of the love of the enchantress Alcine for the paladin Astolphe (Astolfo).

Performance history

Alcine was first performed on 15 January 1705 by the Académie royale de musique at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris. The opera was a failure at its first performance.

Roles

!Role!Voice type!Premiere cast, 15 January 1705
Prologue
Glory (La Gloire)sopranoMlle Du Peyré
Time (Le Temps)basse-tailleJean Dun 'père'
Male followers of Gloryhautes-contreJacques Cocherau and Louis Mantienne
A female follower of GlorysopranoMlle Vincent
Tragédie
AlcinesopranoMarie-Louise Desmatins
Mélaniebas-dessusJulie d'Aubigny (La Maupin)
Atlasbasse-tailleGabriel-Vincent Thévenard
NérinesopranoMlle Armand
MelissesopranoMlle Dujardin
Astolphehaute-contreM Poussin
Crisaldehaute-contrePierre Chopelet
Nymphs of Alcine's courtsopranosMlles Loignon and Dupeyré
A nereidsopranoMarie-Catherine Poussin
A magiciantailleLouis Mantienne
A male loverhaute-contreJean Boutelou
Two female loverssopranosMlles Poussin and Loignon

Further reading