Lully : Atys. Champion, Reyne.

   in Early Music Today (Sep, 2015)
Louis XIV is said to have preferred Atys to all other of Lully’s operas. It was the composer’s fourth tragedie-lyrique, premiered in 1676 at the King’s residence at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Lully’s regular librettist, Quinault, drew from Ovid for his subject matter. Atys was a Phrygian deity who, in this version of the story, loves Sangaride. But she is all set to marry Celenus, King of Phrygia while Atys is secretly loved by the goddess Cybele. Courtly, or godly, propriety though, prevents her from openly declaring her love which she intends to disclose in a dream by causing Atys to fall into a deep sleep. This beguiling scene (Act 3) is one of …