Rameau: Suites & Arias from Pigamalion & Dardanus

Contents Pigmalion (Ballet) 1. Ouvertüre 2. Air: Fatal amour 3. Air: Très lent – Gavotte: Gracieuse – Menuett – Gavotte: Gai – Chaconne: Vive – Loure – Passepied: Vif – Rigaudon: Vif.. 4. Air: Gai 5. Pantomime niaise 6. Pantomime 2: Très vite 7. Ariette: Règne amour 8. Air pour les graces, jeux et ris 9. Rondo (Kontratanz)

Dardanus (Opera in 5 Acts) 10.Ouvertüre 11.Air pour les [Jeux et les] Plaisirs [et la Jalousie et sa Suite] (Prolog, 1. Szene) 12.Air pour les [Jeux et les] Plaisirs 13.Air gracieux [pour les Peuples de différentes nations] (Prolog, 2. Szene) 14.Rigaudon 15.Air: Vif (1. Akt, 3. Szene) 16.Rigaudon 1 – Rigaudon 2 17.Ritournelle vive (2. Akt, 1. Szene) 18.Air: Leux funestes (4. Akt, 1. Szene) 19.Loure (3. Akt, 3. Szene) 20.Air gai en rondeau 21.Menuett 1 – Menuett 2 (Rondo) 22.Tambourin 1 – Tambourin 2 23.Sommeil (Rondeau tendre) – Air très vif – Calme des sens: Air tendre – Gavotte vive (4. Act) 24.Ariette: Hâtons-nous, courons à la gloire (4. Akt, 3. Szene) 25.Chaconne (5. Akt, 3. Szene)

Two One-Act Operas by Rameau The career of Jean-Philippe Rameau extended over many years and witnessed many changes, and his contributions to music theory and the opera continue to enjoy the greatest prestige even today. While most of Rameau’s operas contain several acts, Pygmalion and Dardanus belong to a little series of one-act works (or actes de ballet) that he composed beginning in 1748. Our recording presents a selection of these operas with suites and arias. The arias are interpreted by the Swedish singer Anders J. Dahlin, who is regarded as one of the most versatile tenors of his generation and as a sought-after vocal-cord acrobat. On the present CD he is a so-called haute-contre, which should not be confused with a countertenor. Instead, this particular voice register refers to a tenor who produces his high notes with a chest voice or a voix mixte consisting of chest and head voices. The haute-contre is a specialty of the French Baroque opera, and Dahlin’s opera performances also include some principal roles from Rameau’s works. An absolute listening must!