8th July

Concert will begin at 18:00 hours GMT

Rameau's 'Samson' world premiere with Ott, Stucker, Desandre and di Pierro from Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence Festival. Rameau's 'Samson' is an opera by the French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau with a libretto by Voltaire. The work was never staged due to censorship (although Voltaire later printed his text) until the Aix-en-Provence Festival. La Volupté (Sensual Pleasure) celebrates her long reign over the people of Paris. Hercules and Bacchus admit that love has made them forget about their famous military victories and they offer their obedience to Pleasure. Suddenly, Virtue arrives in a blinding light. She reassures Pleasure that she has not come to banish her but to use her help in persuading mortals to follow the lessons of truth. She says he will now present the audience with a true, not a mythical, Hercules (i.e. Samson) and show how love caused his downfall. World premiere. Performers:

Samson: Jarrett Ott.
Dalila: Jacquelyn Stucker.
Timna: Lea Desandre.
Achisch: Nahuel di Pierro.
Elon: Laurence Kilsby.
L'Ange: Julie Roset.
Premier juge / Un convive: Antonin Rondepierre.

Pygmalion Choir and Orchestra. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon.

Recorded 4 July.