Grétry's Richard Cœur de Lion (Richard the Lionheart)

For the first time since the beginning of the French Revolution, André Grétry's Richard Cœur de Lion (Richard the Lionheart) returns to the Palace of Versailles in 2019—230 years after its last Royal Opera performance! Rediscover a comic opera masterpiece, brought to you by an eminently qualified team: the renowned Canadian duo of Baroque specialists Marshall Pynkoski (stage director) and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg (choreographer); Baroque ensemble par excellence Le Concert Spirituel, under the baton of their director Hervé Niquet; acclaimed vocalists like Rémy Mathieu as Blondel and Reinoud Van Mechelen as King Richard; and the exquisite ballet dancers of the Royal Opera of Versailles.

One of the most popular operas of its day—and the best-known 18th-century opéra comique for a century after its premiere—Richard Cœur de Lion recounts the captivity of King Richard the Lionheart in Austria on his way home from the Crusades, and his rescue by faithful squire Blondel de Nesle. This rich and stunning production transposes the medieval action upon Revolutionary era accoutrements, recreating the fashion and decor familiar to the Versailles audiences who last appreciated this masterwork in 1789.

This is just one of hundreds of stunning operas available on medici.tv, the web's leading classical music streaming platform!