Prologue: Ov - Orch Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Prologue: Le Temps: En Vain, J'ai Respecte/Chor Des Heures: Ses Justes Iois - Bernard Deletre/Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Prologue: Air Pour Les Nymphes De Flore/Le Temps: La Saison Des Frimats - Monique Zanetti/Bernard Deletre
Prologue: Air Pour La Ste De Flore - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Prologue: Prld Pour Melpomene/Air Pour La Ste De Melpomene - Arlette Steyer/Orch Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Prologue: Ritournelle - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Prologue: Menuet/Reprise De I'Ouverture - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte I: Scene I: Ritournelle/Scene 2: Vous Veillez - Jacques Bona
Acte I: Atys, Ne Feignez Plus - Jacques Bona
Acte I: Scene 3: Allons, Allons, Accourez Tous/Ecoutons Les Oiseaux - Agnes Mellon/Guy De Mey
Acte I: Scene 4: Atys Est Trop Heureux/Un Amour Malheureux - Agnes Mellon/Francoise Semellaz
Acte I: Scene 5: On Voit Dans Ces Campagnes/Scene 6: Sangaride, Ce Jour/Si I'hymen Unissait - Agnes Mellon/Guy De Mey
Acte I: Scene 7: Mais Deja De Ce Mont Sacre/Commencons De Celebrer - Agnes Mellon/Guy De Mey
Acte I: Entree De Phrygiens/Second Air Des Phrygiens - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte I: Scene 8: Prld/Venez Tous Dans Mon Temple - Guillemette Laurens/Orch Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Track Listings (13) - Disc #2
Acte II: Scene 1: Ritournelle/Qu'un Indifferent Est Heureux - Guy De Mey
Acte II: Scene 2: Prld/Je Veux Joindre - Guillemette Laurens
Acte II: Scene 3: Tu T'etonnes, Melisse/J'ai Cru Me Faire Un Coeur/Fais Venir Le Sommeil - Guillemette Laurens
Acte II: Scene 4: Celebrons La Gloire Immortelle - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte II: Entree Des Nations/Entree Des Zephirs - Orch Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Acte II: Que Devant Vous/Indigne Que Je Suis/Que Devant Nous/Reprise De I'Air Des Zephirs - Guy De Mey/Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte III: Scene I: Ritournelle/Scene 2: Peut-On Ici Parler/Dans I'empire Amoureux/Je Souhaite, Je Cr - Guy De Mey/Francoise Semellaz/Jacques Bona
Acte III: Le Plus Juste Parti/Scene 3: Mais Le Sommeil Vient Me Surprendre - Guy De Mey
Acte III: Scene 4: Prld/Le Sommeil: Dormons, Dormons Tous/Prld - Orch Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Acte III: Ecoute, Ecoute, Atys/Que I'Amour A D'attraits/Goute En Paix/Trop Heureux Un Amant - Jean-Paul Fouchecourt/Michel Laplenie/Bernard Deletre
Acte III: Un Songe Funeste: Garde-Toi D'offenser/L'amour/Scene 5: Venez A Mon Secours - Guy De Mey/Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte III: Scene 6: Je Sais Trop/Scene 7: Qu' Atys Dans Ses Respects/Deux Coeurs A Feindre - Guy De Mey/Guillemette Laurens/Noemi Rime
Acte III: Va Melisse/Scene 8 - Guillemette Laurens/Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Track Listings (13) - Disc #3
Acte IV: Scene I: Quoi! Vous Pleurez!/Trop Heureux Un Coeur/Apres Une Trahison/Qu'une Premiere Amour - Agnes Mellon/Francoise Semellaz
Acte IV: Scene 2: Prld/Belle Nymphe/Scene 3 - Jean-Francois Gardeil
Acte IV: Scene 4: Ritournelle/Qu'il Sait Peu Son Malheur/Mon Pere Vient Ici - Guy De Mey/Francoise Semellaz
Acte IV: Scene 5: Prld/Que I'on Chante - Orch Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Acte IV: Gavotte/Menuet/Un Grand Calme - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte IV: Scene 6: Venez Former - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte V: Scene 1: Ritournelle - Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte V: Scene 2: Venez Vous Livrer/Toi Qui Porte Partout/Ciel! - Guillemette Laurens/Jean-Francois Gardeil
Acte V: Atys Lui-Meme/Scene 4: Un Calme Heureux/Quoi! Sangaride Est Morte! - Guy De Mey/Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Acte V: Scene 5: Je Commence A Trouver/Scene 6: Il S'est Perce Le Sein - Guillemette Laurens/Jacques Bona
Acte V: Scene Derniere: Ritournelle/Venez, Furieux Corybantes - Guillemette Laurens
Acte V: Entree Des Nymphes/Premiere Entree Des Corybantes/Seconde Entree - Orch Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
Acte V: Que Le malheur D'Atys - Guillemette Laurens/Chor Les Arts Florissants/Olivier Schneebelli
Jean-Baptiste Lully has long been known as the father of French opera; this 1987 recording was the first to suggest his works are fit for something more than the library shelf. Though the 1676 Atys lacks the depth of textu... more »re and characterization (as well as the sheer weirdness) found in Rameau, the opera is like a catalog of French Baroque recitative and aria techniques in this Dangerous Liaisons-style story of love and jealousy amid royals and gods. Ironically, when the title character goes to sleep in act 3, the music truly wakes up in an imaginative, strikingly mellifluous evocation of abstract gods such as Morpheus and Phantasmus. William Christie's direction isn't quite as crisp and polished as later recordings, but his sense of style and ability to find passion behind the operatic formality is rock solid, with fine vocal contributions by Guy de Mey (Atys), Agnes Mellon (Sangaride), and Guillemette Laurens (Cybele). --David Patrick Stearns« less
Jean-Baptiste Lully has long been known as the father of French opera; this 1987 recording was the first to suggest his works are fit for something more than the library shelf. Though the 1676 Atys lacks the depth of texture and characterization (as well as the sheer weirdness) found in Rameau, the opera is like a catalog of French Baroque recitative and aria techniques in this Dangerous Liaisons-style story of love and jealousy amid royals and gods. Ironically, when the title character goes to sleep in act 3, the music truly wakes up in an imaginative, strikingly mellifluous evocation of abstract gods such as Morpheus and Phantasmus. William Christie's direction isn't quite as crisp and polished as later recordings, but his sense of style and ability to find passion behind the operatic formality is rock solid, with fine vocal contributions by Guy de Mey (Atys), Agnes Mellon (Sangaride), and Guillemette Laurens (Cybele). --David Patrick Stearns
CD Reviews
Fantastique!
DAVID PETRICK | CARLISLE, PA United States | 05/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It is said that this opera was written by the Italian composer Lully for the famous sun king Louis XIV and that he so identified with the obscure mythical origin that he wept at the end. I have seen engravings of the grand event; it was staged in the inner court at a young Versailles, with thousands of candles. And only the king could sit on a chair with a back! They restaged this when I was in college, and I read that people still were sitting on benches to watch the 4.5 hour opera, and loving it. It may take a little getting used to and is a bit of a culture shock, but there are many lilting melodies, charming and graceful arias, entrees, gavottes, and overall I miss this opera much (it was stolen from my trunk). The music is baroque, early baroque, played on period instruments that give a shimmering quality to the music that I find most charming and unusual. The singers also have been trained to sing with the shimmering trills of the period. I particularly like the counter tenors, which is basically the highest tenors singing falsetto. For some reason Louis XIV identified with the protagonist: an exceptionally good and comely man, whom the earth godess falls in love with. She elevates him to the position of high priest over more qualified persons. He falls in love with his rivals' daughter, and when Cybele finds out, she castrates him. He laments his fate, kills himself, and when he dies, she turns him into a tree. If you like baroque opera, this is a gem. But not for the unsophisticated."
Wonderful: Christie gets better and better!
DAVID PETRICK | 03/26/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great recording, maybe not as great as some of the most recent Christie opera recordings, but distinguished nevertheless. Guy de Mey's singing is a bit too nervous for my tastes, but he gets it pretty close to the French baroque high tenor sound which is expected in a role like that. Later, Christie will get better tenors, first tapping more extensively into the talents of Jean-Paul Fouchecourt (who is present here in a small role), and then enlisting a couple of English guys (Padmore, Agnew and even Bostridge - who can compare with this lineup!). But in 1987, Les Arts Florissants already boasted a strong cast of performers. Agnes Mellon is marvellous. Too bad that she later somehow disappeared from Christie's universe. The most famous, and by far the most beautiful scene in the entire opera is the Scene du Sommeil. It is one of the most captivating quartets you will ever hear in your life. I also relished the scene Que l'on chante, que l'on danse with Sangar and the chorus of gods. Sangar is sung here by Bernard Deletre, who was reportedly recruited into baroque music by Christie himself. If that is true, I applaud Christie for catching Deletre because he is one of the most outstanding basses I've ever heard. Atys has a lot of beautiful music and a lot of beautiful performances - don't miss it!"
Stunning
DAVID PETRICK | 12/06/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"William Christie runs a very tight ship used to marvellous effect. I discovered this production thanks to un unforgettable live performance. The record reflects excellently that wonderful day although, unfortunately, the scene is missing. If you like baroque opera, this is a must."
As close as you can get to the real thing ...
David A. Kaufman MD | New York City | 12/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am biased because I saw this opera produced live in 1992, and that experience is seared in my memory . . . until William Christie and Les Arts Florissants decide to stage the opera again or release a video recording, I will have to satisfy myself with this wonderful, precise and beautiful recording. Is it possible to wear out a CD? I am not sure, but I bet I am coming close! With every listen, I can vividly remember scenes from the live production.
For the listener who is not familiar with Les Arts Florissants: this is one of the truly outstanding recordings of Baroque opera. It may not be as accessible as Handel or Vivaldi, but the French Baroque composers will reward attentive listening. The length of the piece and the chromatic harmonies may be daunting, but there are some moments in the final acts that come as close as you can get to real catharsis.
For some, this music may not be easy listening, and so I might recommend the recording of Charpentier's Medée, recorded by the same group at around the same time."