Inspirée d’une Psyché signée Lully, Molière, Corneille et Quinault, la Psyche de Locke fut un véritable feu d’artifice artistique : cherchant à rivaliser en splendeur avec les opéras du continent, elle mêlait avec gourmandise théâtre, chant, danse, décors et machines spectaculaires. Sébastien Daucé s’est livré à un formidable travail de reconstitution de ce chef-d’œuvre essentiel dans l’histoire de la naissance de l’opéra anglais.
MATTHEW LOCKE [1621-1677]
· ACT I
Overture (2'16)
ACT I Scene 1
· A symphony of recorders and soft musick (0'43)
· Pan & Nymphs: 'Great Psyche, goddess of each Field and Grove' (2'13)
· A rustick dance of Sylvans & Dryads (2'20)
· Symphony of rustick musick representing an eccho (1'00)
· Song of Ecchoes: 'Great Psyche shall find no such pleasure as here' (2'33)
· Dance for Ambition, Power, Plenty and Peace (1'05)
· Entry of Envy (1'57)
· Song of Envy & Furies: 'Envy 'gainst Psyche' (1'23)
· Entry of the Princes Nicander & Polynices (2'45)
· Symphony at the descending of Venus in her chariot drawn by doves (0'43)
· Venus: 'With kindness I your pray'rs receive' (1'22)
· Symphony at the ascending of Venus in her chariot drawn by doves (0'49)
· ACT II
Act tune: the temple of Apollo Delphicus (1'31)
ACT II Scene 1
· Song of procession in the temple: 'Let's to Apollo's Altar now repair' (2'30)
· Chief Priest: 'Son of Latona' (4'20)
· Dance of Priests (0'59)
· Chief Priest & his attendants: 'To Apollo, our Celestial King' (0'29)
· Ceremony for Apollo (1'06)
ACT II Scene 2
· Entry for Despairing Lovers (2'13)
· Four Despairing Lovers: 'Break, break distracted heart' (5'03)
· Interlude: Italian Lament [extr. from Lully's Psyché] (10'37)· ACT III Act tune (3'34)
ACT III Scene 1
· Dance of Cyclopes (0'55)
· Song of Vulcan: 'Ye bold Sons of Earth' (3'43)
· Song at the Treat of Cupid & Psyche: 'All joy to fair Psyche' (3'59)
ACT III Scene 2
· Warlike dance with a consort of loud martial musick (1'41)
· Song and dance of the Salij: 'Let us loudly rejoice' (1'04)
· Song of Praesul: 'Great God of War' (1'41)
· Warlike dance (0'47)
· Praesul: 'While we to Mars' (0'19)
· Venus & Mars meet in the Air in their chariots; his drawn by horses, and hers by doves (1'32)
· Song of Venus & Mars: 'Great God of War' (2'24)
· Entry of Furies (1'04)
· ACT IV
Scene 1
Act tune: a stately garden belonging to the magnificent palace (1'22)
ACT IV Scene 1
· Entry for two Cupids (1'07)
· Song for two Cupids: 'Let old Age' (1'27)
· Dance of the statues, leaping from their pedestals (1'33)
ACT IV Scene 2
· God of the River & two Nymphs to Psyche: 'Stay, stay' (2'25)
· Symphony at the descending of Venus (1'19)
· ACT V
Act tune: burning ruins of buildings, the throne of Pluto, and a great number of Devils & Furies (0'42)
ACT V Scene 1
· Devils & Furies: 'To what great distresses' (2'07)
· Dance of the Furies (0'47)
· Entry of Pluto (3'08)
· Pluto: 'Refrain your tears' (0'59)
· Proserpina & Pluto: 'Psyche, draw near' (2'08)
· Proserpina & Pluto: 'Be gone, fair Psyche' (1'58)
ACT V Scene 2
Scene 3
· Symphony at the descending of Apollo and the Gods (1'29)
· Apollo: 'Assemble all the ye Heavenly Quire' (2'21)
· Three Elysian Lovers: 'On Earth by unkindness' (2'10)
· Symphony at the descending of Jupiter, Cupid & Psyche (1'07)
· Dance for Six Elysian Princes (1'33)
· Mars: 'Behold the God' (1'10)
· Rustick musick of Mænades & Ægipanes (1'05)
· Grand chorus and dance, with all the instruments: 'All joy to this Celestial Pair' (2'33)
