Rameau & Lully
Love Scenes from the French Court

Excerpts from: Les fêtes d'Hébé, Dardanus, Zoroastre and Castor et Pollux, Armide, Hippolyte et Aricie
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/Emmanuelle Haïm director
Karine Deshayes mezzo soprano; Paul Agnew tenor. 11th December 2002 Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

This was a special evening of French baroque opera, devised by Emmanuelle Haïm, with the QEH already well filled for the illuminating pre-concert programme presented by expert baroque dance specialists Chris Tudor and Nicola Gaines, with dance suites of Lully and Rameau played by a small group of OAE musicians. Alastair Macaulay told us about the original dance notations from the 18th Century which were being interpreted for us. Formal, yet with lively twirlings and little leaps, they were enjoyable to watch and stayed in mind during the dances (so integral for French baroque opera) which were included during the main concert of operatic excerpts.

Soon after William Christie's controversially staged concert with the same composers (see opposed reviews in Classical Source of The Garden of Voices - 19 November) the two singers did no more than look meaningfully at each other during their love duets. Both were in excellent voice and held attention in recit, so important in this repertoire, equally as in their arias and duets. Vocal substitutions are regularly needed during the season of winter ills, and Karine Deshayes was a worthy partner to Paul Agnew. The programme change note did not indicate that she had ever sung before in UK; I hope she will return soon.

What should solo singers do whilst waiting their turns? I have noted elsewhere, with approval, how some instrumentalists 'play themselves in' with the orchestra in 18 C concertos; Karine Deshayes was quietly 'inside the music' throughout, following her score with visible absorption sitting next to Emmanuelle Haïm, who directed from the harpsichord in an eye-catching manner which was disconcertingly tiring to watch. Gyrations by conductors can distract attention from solo singers, who tend to present themselves modestly in concert. However, one can be forgiving, knowing how hard it has been for women to achieve centre stage as orchestral conductors (and how recently some orchestras accepted them unless they played the harp!) so Ms Haïm should be excused. The orchestral players scarcely seemed to look at her and no doubt the important work had been done at rehearsal. Perhaps she will soon learn that visible assertiveness can be counter productive, other than to feed the media who are currently fêting Ms Haïm. Time may moderate what looked like exhibitionism; Sir Roger Norrington no longer leaps into the air whilst conducting and I found his gestures in Schubert's 9th with the LPO the next night entirely appropriate and concordant with the subtleties of rhythm and balance that he was achieving from his players.

Peter Grahame Woolf

Links: The Garden of Voices - or The Pansies (19 November) The Garden of Voices - 19 November http://www.classicalsource.com/cgi-local/tcs.cgi