Sébastien Daucé, musicologist and conductor of the Correspondances ensemble, has embarked on an extensive reconstruction of Psyche, one of the first operas composed in England based on the French tragedy-ballet of the same name (written by Molière, Quinault, Corneille and Lully). The original work was commissioned by Louis XIV to be performed in the magnificent Versailles. His first cousin and King of England, Charles II, not wanting to be outdone, successfully matched the artistic brilliance of his royal relative, whose lavish show had brought together hundreds of artists (at a huge cost considering it was just for the sole pleasure of a privileged few).
Created by two composers, Matthew Locke and Giovanni Battista Draghi, the passage of time has left the English opera fragmented, as is often the case for works from this period. Only a part of Locke's music has been restored, and it took all of Sébastien Daucé's knowledge and imagination to reconstruct Draghi's music.
This shrewd recreation remains hypothetical, constituting a sort of ‘pasticcio’ very close to what could have been achieved during the Baroque period, during which time the notion of an ‘original work’ had not yet been introduced. This reconstruction is based on English theatre music of the time. It is beautifully successful thanks to a vibrant cast of singers (all of whom are experienced in this repertoire) and the stunning orchestra that boasts a variety of tones, combining strings, woodwinds, brass, rich continuo and percussion. ‘It’s a strange music, which constitutes a new language for us whilst simultaneously possessing the characteristics of court ballet,’ explains Sébastien Daucé, who conducts the work with a firm and joyful hand. © François Hudry/Qobuz