CHARPENTIER, M.-A.: David et Jonathas (Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, 2012)
David et Jonathas, H. 490
Composer: Charpentier, Marc-Antoine
Librettist/Text Author: Bretonneau, Francois de Paule
Conductor: Christie, William
Orchestra: Arts Florissants, Les
Achis: Caton, Frederic
David: Charbonneau, Pascal
Joabel: Spicer, Kresimir
Jonathas: Quintans, Ana
L'Ombre de Samuel: Bessiere, Pierre
La Pythonisse: Visse, Dominique
Saul: Davies, Neal
Costume Designer: Davey, Gideon
Lighting Designer: Evin, Franck
Stage Director: Homoki, Andreas
Television Director: Metge, Stephane
Festival: Aix-en-Provence Festival
Playing Time: 02:10:01
Catalogue Number: BAC093
UPC: 3760115300934
The rare biblical opera David and Jonathas is like Medee', one of the major works of the French Baroque composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The opera has been in the repertoire of Les Arts Florissants since 1988 and was first presented in a stage production by William Christie at the Aix-en-Provence Festival 2012.
This release is a special event for all Baroque music lovers.
Written a year after the death of Lully, this lyric tragedy allows Charpentier to develop beyond the religious dimension, a story of male friendship and forbidden love between David and Jonathas. An excellent cast gathered around William Christie and Les Arts Florissants brings young singers to the title roles: Pascal Charbonneau, a tenor and a former student of the European Academy of Music, sings David. The role of Jonathas is given to a woman: soprano Ana Quintans.
The staging by Andreas Homoki (Director of the Zurich Opera since summer 2012) focuses on the psychological aspect of this forbidden love story, giving a moving reading of the drama.
