Opera and oratorio

Cadmus and Hermione

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)
Capture d’écran 2025-05-07 à 11.29.20

A tragédie lyrique in one prologue and five acts, with a libretto by Philippe Quinault, premiered in April 1673 at the Académie Royale de Musique in Paris.

Staged opera.

Co-production Les Talens Lyriques – Philharmonie de Paris and the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles.
Proudly supported by the Talens Lyriques Patrons’ Circle.

CAST

Eléonore Pancrazi, Hermione
Jérôme Boutillier, Cadmus
Marie Lys, Charite, Palès, Junon
Mathilde Ortscheidt, Pallas, Mélisse
Thaïs Raï-Westphal, Aglante, Vénus
William Shelton, l’Amour
Abel Zamora, l’Hymen, Arcas, le Premier Africain
Bastien Rimondi, la Nourrice, l’Envie
Kieran White, le Deuxième Africain
Antonin Rondepierre, le Premier Prince Thyrien, le Soleil
Philippe Estèphe, le Deuxième Prince Thyrien, Échion
Lysandre Châlon, Arbas, Pan
Adrien Fournaison, Draco, le Grand Sacrificateur de Mars, Jupiter
Jordann Moreau, Mars

Les Pages et Chantres du Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles
Fabien Armengaud : artistic direction

Les Talens Lyriques
Christophe Rousset : harpsichord & musical direction

« Cadmus et Hermione is Lully’s very first tragédie lyrique – and the last of his operas we’ve yet to record. I conducted it years ago at Ambronay, and I can’t wait to return to it. You might expect a composer’s tentative first attempt, but no: it’s a debut that’s already a masterpiece.
This is a heroic work, with a bold and triumphant Cadmus – a perfect reflection of Louis XIV’s propaganda machine. But Lully is so much more than that. His music has a power that speaks across centuries. Beyond the grandeur and spectacle, he crafts moments of real, heartbreaking intimacy.
What moves me most about Cadmus is its experimental spirit. It’s a vast choral fresco, filled with a multitude of characters – a challenge for any ensemble. But I love working in continuity, deepening the artistic journey with singers like Marie Lys and Philippe Estèphe. It’s about building a shared language over time.
I have vivid memories of Ludovic Lagarde’s staging– its fire, its dramatic urgency, those striking contrasts between shadowy recitative and bursts of choral and instrumental brilliance. This is early Lully: no accompagnato arias yet, everything hinges on text and declamation.
And yet, the dramatic intensity is already unmistakable. We’re also thrilled to be starting a new partnership with the Philharmonie de Paris and the CMBV with this project – a perfect beginning! »

– Christophe Rousset

 

All dates

Sunday
25 Jan 2026
  • 18:00
  • Paris | Philharmonie de Paris
  • France