Live
Only on
Certain chapters are not available.
Thank you for your understanding.

Rameau's Castor et Pollux

Pierre Audi (stage director), Christophe Rousset (conductor) — With Anna Maria Panzarella (Télaïre), Véronique Gens (Phébé), Finnur Bjarnason (Castor), Henk Neven (Pollux), Nicolas Testé (Jupiter)

Opera
Subscribers

Cast

Pierre Audi — Stage director

Patrick Kinmonth — Set designer, costume designer

Jean Kalman — Lighting designer

Amir Hosseinpour — Choreographer

Anna Maria Panzarella — Télaïre, daughter of the Sun

Véronique Gens — Phébé, Princess of Sparta

Judith Van Wanroij — Cléone/Phébé’s confidante/

Program notes

The god Pollux is betrothed to mortal Télaïre, but she loves his twin brother Castor, a mortal demigod. When Pollux learns of his fiancée’s true feelings, he is prepared to let Castor and Télaïre be together—but enemies of Sparta (helped by Télaïre’s sister Phébé, also in love with Castor) then attack, and Castor is killed. Pollux is willing to sacrifice his life to bring back his brother from Hades, but for Castor, it would be meaningless to return to life on Earth without his brother… This tragédie en musique by French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau is also an origin myth for the constellation Gemini, created thanks to the goodness and mercy of Jupiter (Zeus).

Pierre Audi’s minimalist staging for this epic legend spanning the planes of Earth, heaven, and hell might seem an unusual choice for a Baroque work whose 1737 premiere was characterized by scenic opulence. But the opera’s complicated narrative, its sumptuous and varied music, and its tragically poetic libretto constitute an intensely dramatic experience in its entirety—so a modern staging like this one may choose a more subtle visual style that allows the audience to focus more on narrative elements.

A closer look: featured composers

medici.tv - Back to medici.tv

The world’s premier resource for classical music programming: stunning live events from the world’s most prestigious halls, plus thousands of concerts, operas, ballets, and more in our VOD catalogue!

Our programs

Learn more

Useful links

  • Cookie Settings

Follow us

© MUSEEC SAS 2025 . With the support of Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union and the CNC.

Europe media CNC