La naissance de la lyre (The Birth of the Lyre) is an opera (styled a conte lyrique) in one act by the French composer Albert Roussel. The libretto, by Théodore Reinach, is based on the satyr play Ichneutae by Sophocles. It was first performed at the Paris Opéra on 1 July 1925 with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere cast: 1 July 1925 Conductor: Philippe Gaubert |
|---|---|---|
| Kylléné | soprano | Jeanne Delvair |
| Petite Hermès (Little Hermes) | soprano | Marcelle Denya |
| Apollon (Apollo) | tenor | Edmond Rambaud |
| Silène (Silenus) | tenor | Henri Fabert |
| First choreute | tenor | Georges Regis |
| Second choreute | bass | Léon Ernst |
- choreute: member of the Greek chorus
Synopsis
The newborn god Hermes steals his brother Apollo's cattle. The satyrs, led by Silenus, track him down and find Hermes has made a new musical instrument, the lyre, from the horns of one of the cattle. Apollo is so pleased with the lyre that he adopts it as his own and forgives his young brother.
References
- Casaglia, Gherardo (2005). "La naissance de la lyre, 1 July 1925". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian).
Further reading
- The Viking Opera Guide, ed. Amanda Holden (1993)
External links
- La naissance de la lyre: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
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