Actéon is a little ‘hunting opera’ composed by Charpentier in 1684 as a short musical tragedy in six scenes.
Actéon is a little ‘hunting opera’ composed by Charpentier in 1684 as a short musical tragedy in six scenes. The hunter Actaeon accidentally catches the goddess Diana naked while she is bathing with her nymphs. He hides, but Diana discovers him and in her anger turns him into a stag; he is then devoured by his own dogs. A pastoral combining jubilation and tragedy, beauty and cruelty, Actéon is an ideal musical gem for showcasing the magnificent young singers of the Royal Opera Academy, who have come together for their graduation performance: what better setting than the Galerie des Glaces for this highly baroque work, and for an exceptional evening?
