Atys (Attis) is a 1675 tragédie en musique — described in a 1708 revival as a tragédie mise en musique and today considered a tragédie lyrique, a French form of opera — in a prologue and five acts by Jean-Baptiste Lully to a libretto by Philippe Quinault after Ovid's Fasti.
It was premiered for the royal court on 10 January the following year by Lully's Académie Royale de Musique (Paris Opera) at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The first public performance took place in April 1676 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal. Although Atys was met with indifference by Paris audiences, it became known as "the king's opera" because of Louis XIV's fondness for it.
This production is a recreation of the 1987 production by stage director Jean-Marie Villégier in which the prologue has been greatly modified; recorded live at the Salle Favart in Paris in May 2011.
Bernard Richter (Atys); Stéphanie d'Oustrac (Cybèle); Emmanuelle de Negri (Sangaride); Nicolas Rivenq (Célénus); Marc Mauillon (Idas); Sophie Daneman (Doris); Jaël Azzaretti (Mélisse); Paul Agnew (Dieu de Sommeil); Cyril Auvity (Morphée); Bernard Deletré (Le Temps, le fleuve Sangar); Compagnie Fêtes galantes et Gil Isoart de l'Opéra National de Paris (dancers); Chœur et orchestre Les Arts Florissants; William Christie, conductor.
PROLOGUE
Time, in his palace, promises fame to the glorious hero (Louis XIV). Flora joins the celebrations. Melpomene, the tragic muse, is united with Flora in order for the drama of Attis (Atys) to unfold.
ACT I
In the land of Phrygia, Attis awaits the arrival of the earth goddess Cybele (Cybèle). Sangaride, due to be married to King Celaenus (Célenus), sings of her unrequited love for Attis. Seeing her distress, Attis confesses that he too loves her. Cybele descends in her chariot.
ACT II
Attis and Celaenus cannot decide which of them will be the high priest for Cybele. Cybele also loves Attis and selects him to be high priest, confessing that it was for him and not Celaenus's marriage that she descended to earth.
ACT Ill
At the instigation of Cybele, Attis falls into a dreamfilled sleep in which he hears songs of love, but also warnings of danger should he deceive the gods. He wakes to find Cybele at his side, ready to comfort him. Sangaride begs Attis to prevent her marriag to Celaenus, and he promises to support her. Cybele, suspecting their love, laments her fate.
ACT IV
Sangaride thinks that Attis no longer loves her, but he reassures her and they celebrate their love. As the high priest of Cybele, Attis calls off the wedding of Sangaride and Celaenus.
ACT V
Cybele and Celaenus plot revenge against the lovers. The goddess places Attis under a spell and, in his delusion, he murders Sangaride, thinking her to be a monster. After regaining his reason, Attis tries to take his own life, and Cybele turns him into a pine tree. She laments the loss of her one true love, and the opera ends in desolation.
