The myth of Phaedra and Hippolytus, as terrible as it is fascinating, has been retold by many artists over the centuries, including composers. This recording presents the first performance of Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne’s opera in its complete form since the premiere. It reveals a work whose classical surface conceals a style that is vehement, exalted and threatening by turns, a thrilling testimony to the bubbling energy of pre-Romanticism. Served by the total commitment of the Orfeo Orchestra and Purcell Choir under the direction of György Vashegyi, the drama closes in on the inescapable destinies of Phèdre, Hippolyte and Thésée, movingly sung by Judith van Wanroij, Julien Behr and Tassis Christoyannis.

REVIEW:

Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne is hardly known. He had a comparatively short life from 1751 to 1792. From the rural Dordogne, where he was born, he joined a traveling opera company and reached Berlin. He had some success in Prussia and in Poland. When he returned to France, two of his operas (Electre and Phèdre) had excellent reviews and the audience's favor; thus, they had several performances. However, he got entangled in the infighting between Christoph Willibald Gluck, on the one hand, and Niccolò Piccinni and Antonio Sacchini, on the other, for the primacy in Paris musical scene. This undermined his career; his later operas had a somewhat limited success. Until now, Lemoyne was almost forgotten.

The plot follows quite closely Euripides' tragedy that was set to music even by contemporary composers such as Sylvano Bussotti. The syntax and style of Lemoyne's opera follows quite strictly the rules of the tragédie lyrique as formalized by Christoph Willibald Gluck, including ballet music.

The distinct feature of Lemoyne's opera is the weight and importance given to the protagonist. The role is sung by the Dutch soprano Judith van Wanroij: it fits her perfectly as can be felt in her initial major arias, with chorus as well as with other members of the cast.

The strength of her voice and her dramatic intensity spring up in the first act finale when almost the whole company is on stage.

In the second act, the scene when Phèdre attempts to seduce her stepson, Hippolyte, is very sensual, not only dramatic.

So is their duet.

In the third act, the climax is reached in the storm scene and the death of Hippolyte first, and Phèdre, later.

The CD was recorded in Budapest in the Béla Bartók Concert Hall in September 2019. György Vashegyi conducts the Orfeo Orchestra and the Purcell Chorus skilfully and with the proper touch for a tragédie lyrique.

Hippolyte is Julien Behr, a good French agility tenor.

Thésée is Tassis Christoyannis a solid Greek baritone who has often collaborated with Palazzetto Bru Zane in recitals of French melodies. Oenone is Melody Louledjian. It is worth listening to their Act III recitative Ô jour affreux! ô destin déplorable.

In short, this is a real discovery.

-- Classical Music Daily