Campra: The new century’s destiny

This show was originally scheduled for the 2020 - 2021 Musical Season and cancelled due to the sanitary crisis. On the bill for the 2021 - 2022 Musical Season. For more information. 

Le Destin du Nouveau Siècle (The new century’s destiny) is a score by Campra, unpublished since the 18th century. This opera-ballet created in 1700 at the Collège Louis-le-Grand was intended as an interlude to a Latin tragedy, and as a premonition of the century that was beginning in France, where Louis XIV had reigned for 57 years! It sets the scene for a dialogue between peoples who support War or Peace, each party being supported and encouraged by a god, Mars or Vulcan, or by the very allegory of Peace. Saturn, as the god who presides over time, is preparing to give the world a new century. He invites the Fates to regulate its destiny according to the will of the people, but some wish to initiate a war that lasts forever, while others sing the name of Peace everywhere...

Knowing that at the end of 1700, Louis XIV’s grandson became Philip V King of Spain, an event which initially inspired happiness as peace was finally achieved between two great states that had been enemies for centuries, but finally set fire to European balance and ended in the 15 year-long War of Spanish Succession... we understand. Campra’s splendid (and unknown!) music composed just after Europe Galante (1697) and The Carnival of Venice (1699), and shortly before Tancredi (1702) - all masterpieces - presents a balanced alternation of short tales, solo arias, dances, chorales and double choirs, magnificent from beginning to end, which the exceptional team assembled by Patrick Bismuth finally returns to the public! A recording is planned for our collection to finally release this gem.