Atys

About

The 2011 staging of Atys at the Opéra Comique is a meticulous recreation of the legendary 1987 production that helped spark the modern revival of French Baroque opera. Directed by Jean-Marie Villégier with musical direction by William Christie, the revival was made possible through the exceptional support of philanthropist Ronald P. Stanton. The visual world combines lightly stylized 17th‑century sets by Carlo Tommasi with opulent, historically informed costumes by Patrice Cauchetier. Villégier’s staging emphasizes Racine‑like psychological intensity, pitting the characters’ turbulent passions against the strict etiquette of a stylized royal court. Dance is central to the dramaturgy: Béatrice Massin recreates and adapts the Baroque choreography developed by the late Francine Lancelot. The seamless integration of dance, music, and drama reveals the structural brilliance of Lully’s tragédie en musique, famed as the first French tragedy to center its plot on love with a hero who dies on stage.