Isbé

Description

Mondonville was a contemporary of Rameau, and although he did not have the same level of notoriety, he still enjoyed an excellent reputation as a composer of instrumental works and grand motets. When he presented this heroic pastoral of Isbé in 1742, he surprised with his originality, his innovative conception of opera, and the very clear influence of Vivaldi's modernity. The conductor Gyorgy Vashegyi achieves a beautiful success here: he has gathered a magnificent team of soloists very well-versed in 18th-century French opera: Thomas Dolié interprets the demanding role of Adamas, the chief of the druids who, while being hopelessly in love with Isbé, defends the ideas of the Enlightenment (the opera was created in 1742). British soprano Katherine Watson in the title role is also courted by Coridon, tenor Reinoud Van Mechelen.