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Platée

A romping Rameau from Pinchgut Opera
by
ABR Arts 03 December 2021

Platée

A romping Rameau from Pinchgut Opera
by
ABR Arts 03 December 2021
Kanen Breen as Platée and Peter Coleman-Wright as Jupiter (photograph by Brett Boardman).
Kanen Breen as Platée and Peter Coleman-Wright as Jupiter (photograph by Brett Boardman).

Jean-Philippe Rameau’s setting of Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d’Orville’s adaptation of Jacques Autreau’s then unpublished and unperformed play Platée must be considered one of the most tactless entertainments ever presented to celebrate a royal wedding. The story of the ugly, vain water nymph who is used as a pawn to salvage the rocky marriage of Jupiter and Juno was certainly not the usual bland extravaganza to be expected at such an occasion. It probably didn’t help that the Dauphin Louis’s bride, Maria-Theresa of Spain, was not considered conventionally attractive.

Comment (1)

  • Thank you for noting the absence of our finest singers from Opera Australia. It has left the audience confused and disconnected. Bravo Pinchgut for its uncompromising integrity. Bravo the cast of Platee.
    Posted by S.Foxtrotter
    03 December 2021

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