Castor Et Pollux Live At Het Musiektheater Amsterdam 2008

Castor et Pollux is arguably Rameau’s finest creation in the
tragédie lyrique style. Its libretto, based in mythology, focuses on
an unusual theme: the self-sacrificing love between Castor, who
is mortal, and his immortal brother, Pollux. When Castor is
killed while defending his beloved Télaire from an attempted
abduction, Pollux resolves to give up his immortality and take
Castor’s place in the Underworld. After passionate debate over
who will live and who will die, the brothers are eternally united,
transformed into the constellation Gemini. The strikingly
luminous sets, depicting a stylized version of the constellation,
give this fabulous production, staged by Pierre Audi and
conducted by Christophe Rousset, a glorious 21st-century
baroque look.