# Rameau's Les Indes Galantes



## Footloose (Feb 3, 2011)

I was recently loaned a downloaded copy of a DVD produced by the BBC, featuring short clips of choice pieces of classical music.

This contained some absolutely beautiful music, which captivated me. However, the very last track was from the last act of Rameau's Les Indes Galantes, produced by, I believe a French Company. 

Although I have heard the piece in question many times, this production was outstanding. The choreography was startlingly innovative, and the singing superb. I would love to buy the entire opera in DVD form if possible.

Can anybody please throw light on my darkness, and tell me who the Opera was produced by, on this BBC DVD, and even better, how I could obtain it?

Thank you
Footloose


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Footloose said:


> I was recently loaned a downloaded copy of a DVD produced by the BBC, featuring short clips of choice pieces of classical music.
> 
> This contained some absolutely beautiful music, which captivated me. However, the very last track was from the last act of Rameau's Les Indes Galantes, produced by, I believe a French Company.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the forum Footloose, hope you stick around after you've got your information.

If you have a look at our Top 100 sticky in the opera forum Les Indes comes in at 46. This is maybe what you're looking for


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## Footloose (Feb 3, 2011)

Thank you for the welcome Annie, and yes, I plan to stick around, because as a long term lover of classical music, I still have so much to learn.

I don't know if the picture you included features the Operatic Company which made the DVD which so captivated me. I sensed that it was a fairly recent recording, and as I said, the choreography was very original and amusing, whilst the orchestration was superb.

Do you know of any way that I could obtain a list of DVDs featuring this opera, from which I could perhaps find what I am looking for?

Footloose


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I can only really suggest Amazon & Google. But I've contacted these guys in the past with queries & they're very helpful.

And you might find it here.

There are more knowledgeable people than me on here who can maybe help as well. Let us know if your search is successful then you can write a review.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Footloose said:


> Thank you for the welcome Annie, and yes, I plan to stick around, because as a long term lover of classical music, I still have so much to learn.
> 
> I don't know if the picture you included features the Operatic Company which made the DVD which so captivated me. I sensed that it was a fairly recent recording, and as I said, the choreography was very original and amusing, whilst the orchestration was superb.
> 
> ...


It must be it, since there is only one version of Les Indes Galantes on video, and that's the one Sospiro has posted. It's by Les Arts Florissants orchestra, under conductor William Christie. The opera house is L'Opéra de Paris, Palais Garnier. The production exists on DVD released by Opus Arte. It is spectacular, one of the best opera videos ever made. Danielle de Niese and Patricia Petibon are two of the singers, and they are both outstanding in this production. This production was given in 2003 and the video was released in 2005.

So don't bother looking for a list, like I said there is only one. On CD, there is this same version, plus two others, one from 1973 conducted by Malgoire, and the other one from 1974 conducted by Paillard. I haven't heard these two and can't tell you whether they are good or not. But like I said, the video version is excellent in all aspects, and a much recommended buy.

It's available on Amazon.com and also from some of their associated marketplace vendors. If you are in Europe, I'm sure the UK version of Amazon.com will have it too.

http://www.amazon.com/Rameau-Galant...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1296722730&sr=1-1

Welcome. Do go to the Opera forum, you'll find this kind of information there and much more.


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## Footloose (Feb 3, 2011)

Thank you both so much for the info, I am most grateful. I look forward with great anticipation to enjoying the whole opera, especially if the rest of it lives up to the fantastic performance in the part I watched.

I am in China at the moment, but will order it now, in the hope that it will have arrived in Cyprus by the time I return in a few weeks.

Many thanks once again, for your kind assistance as well as the seemingly encyclopaedic knowledge displayed!!
Footloose


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## Il Seraglio (Sep 14, 2009)

I really enjoyed that DVD of the Theatre du Chatelet production. Predictably, the only weak point was Danielle De Niese.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Il Seraglio said:


> I really enjoyed that DVD of the Theatre du Chatelet production. Predictably, the only weak point was Danielle De Niese.


Well, she looks so good that I'm willing to forgive some less than stellar singing.
At first, I used to think of Danielle De Niese as having a small voice. She does, but then, she carefully picks her baroque repertoire with small, period instrument orchestras so that she can be heard, and actually her voice can be very beautiful, in my opinion.

Patricia is also not the best singer around, but she is so charming and spicy that one forgets about a couple of technique problems.

I really like these two. Danielle De Niese's Cleopatra in the Glyndebourne Giulio Cesare was delicious, and so was Patricia's Despina in the recent Salzburg Così.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Footloose said:


> Thank you both so much for the info, I am most grateful. I look forward with great anticipation to enjoying the whole opera, especially if the rest of it lives up to the fantastic performance in the part I watched.
> 
> I am in China at the moment, but will order it now, in the hope that it will have arrived in Cyprus by the time I return in a few weeks.
> 
> ...


Yes, the rest of it does live up to whatever segment you saw, because all segments are homogeneously good.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Time to post a gorgeous clip from one of my favourite DVDs:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Well, she looks so good that I'm willing to forgive some less than stellar singing.
> At first, I used to think of Danielle De Niese as having a small voice. She does, but then, she carefully picks her baroque repertoire with small, period instrument orchestras so that she can be heard, and actually her voice can be very beautiful, in my opinion.


I find with de Niese that it's best to be watching, as her beauty and stage persona fill in any gaps in her singing. If you listen too closely it all sounds a bit breathy. Her album of Handel arias doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I find with de Niese that it's best to be watching, as her beauty and stage persona fill in any gaps in her singing. If you listen too closely it all sounds a bit breathy. Her album of Handel arias doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.


True. But you know how I'm biased as far as the pretty ladies are concerned.


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## Footloose (Feb 3, 2011)

So much erudition on one short thread!! Like I said, I still have so much to learn about classical music. However, it must be said that I heartily concur with Mamascarlatti and Almaviva's comments regarding the abilities or otherwise of Danielle de Niese.

In the one short clip I watched, her beauty and persona more than covered any (in my case) undetected shortcomings in her singing ability. 

Also, surely, an opera is a show which is optical as well as aural entertainment, and so, one balances the other? This production has awakened an interest in a branch of music, to which I previously paid scant attention, and I look forward to watching the full dvd, when it arrives.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Footloose said:


> So much erudition on one short thread!! Like I said, I still have so much to learn about classical music. However, it must be said that I heartily concur with Mamascarlatti and Almaviva's comments regarding the abilities or otherwise of Danielle de Niese.
> 
> In the one short clip I watched, her beauty and persona more than covered any (in my case) undetected shortcomings in her singing ability.
> 
> Also, surely, an opera is a show which is optical as well as aural entertainment, and so, one balances the other? This production has awakened an interest in a branch of music, to which I previously paid scant attention, and I look forward to watching the full dvd, when it arrives.


Great, welcome to lifelong entertainment. Opera is wonderful.

Don't be intimidated by what you perceive to be erudition. We're simple folks, we aren't snobs or anything, and many of us aren't learned musicians, we're just fans (although some of us are indeed musicians - not me). We just love opera and watch it/listen to it a lot, so naturally we learn a thing or two as we go. Whoever takes the time of doing the same will achieve similar levels of what you're calling erudition.

Like I said, do come to our Opera forum: http://www.talkclassical.com/opera/

The first thread there is a sticky one, containing the result of our exploration of the top 100 operas that we as a membership corps recommend. It's a great start to increase your exposure.

Don't fail to notice that we also have a subforum for opera works on DVD and blu ray, accessible on the same screen right on top of the list of threads: http://www.talkclassical.com/opera-dvd-blu-ray/

In the subforum, we're currently establishing a list of the most recommended video versions for each one of our top 100 recommended operas. It's been fun.

The Opera community here is made of friendly people, and we have members of all levels of exposure/expertise - from people who like you are just getting started, to people who have had decades of love for this artform. Unlike other fora I've seen in the Internet, we don't discriminate against newcomers, we don't show off, we just friendly talk about this wonderful genre, the performers, the recordings, the DVDs, etc.


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## Footloose (Feb 3, 2011)

*Opera*

Thank you not only for the info, but the kind words that accompanied it. I shall indeed make it my business to visit the Opera section.

Already I have been gobsmacked, watching that fantastic piece, in Mozart's Magic Flute, where the 'Queen of the NIght' does things with vocal chords that I didn't think possible and produces such stirring music.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

mamascarlatti said:


> Time to post a gorgeous clip from one of my favourite DVDs:


That is undoubtedly one of my favorite scenes from an absolutely brilliant performance (and video). It was enough to motivate me into immediately ordering _Les Indes Galantes_ on DVD in spite of knowing, at that time, virtually nothing of Rameau. I absolutely love the whole thing... the costumes, lighting, stag sets, acting , and singing. Danielle De Niese is the only low point in the production...???!!! Give me a frickin' break. I find her altogether charming.

Having said that much, I must say that for Les Sauvages scene... as great as Christies version is... I actually prefer Minkowski's more muscular performance... which unfortunately was not included in his great selection of Rameau highlights:















What the Minkowski and the Christie performances both have in common is this sense that the conductor and the performers are absolutely enjoying themselves... performing a music that is alive and relevant... and not some stuffy museum piece.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

This thread should be moved to the Opera forum.
Moderators?


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Great to see more people falling for the Christie _Les Indes Galantes_. Discovering it a couple of years ago was one of the big highlights in my opera journey - there's quite a bit of discussion about it here: Rameau on DVD.

I'm surprised by the criticism of Danielle de Niese in this, even though I agree with the reservations expressed about her Handel arias album. In this production (as in _Giulio Cesare_) she seems to me to make her part entirely her own, and I find there's a real feeling of her being our 'guide' through the proceedings. It's not just a matter of singing, but of her whole visual 'presence' and the particular charisma she brings to the role. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

And when we get to the end, and the whole magnificent party is over, don't you feel like saying 'no, no, don't go - stay with us and do some more'? Of course we can always start again at the beginning of the DVD but still, if only there were yet another disc ...


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Time to post a gorgeous clip from one of my favourite DVDs:


I think this is possibly the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Ever.


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## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

I saw the William Christie production of Les Indes Galantes in Paris at the Palais Garnier in the fall of 2000. I went in completely ignorant about the opera, and was stunned to realize how truly wonderful it was. It was a visual spectacle, with superbly choreographed ballet sequences and gorgeous sets. Unlike most of the Baroque operas that I've seen, it didn't feature endless recitative/da capo aria pairs sung from centre stage by singers who are interacting with someone in the fifth row of the audience. 

I was astonished to find that Act IV featured Canada - or New France as it was known in 1735. Rameau did some very nice musical exotica in this section. At some point in his life he must have heard some of the music of Native Canadians, and you can hear some of it in the excerpt that has been posted in this thread. Melodies that cover a narrow musical range, reverse themselves, and have irregular lengths... was this the first "New World Opera", 150 years before Dvorak wrote his New World Symphony?


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