Jean-Philippe Rameau: PlatéeCzech National Theatre, Prague

Louis XV had Platée performed for his son's wedding festivities in 1745. The burlesque raised Rameau’s standing and played a part in his appointment as composer to the court. In 1749, the Paris opera added Platée to its repertoire, notwithstanding the outrage sparked by the libretto.

The nymph Platée is so deluded she imagines no man can look at her without falling in love. In reality, she is neither fair nor intelligent, making it easy for Jupiter to dupe her into marrying him to appease his jealous wife Juno.This superb new staging of Platée promises to mark a milestone in European opera. A co-production of the Czech State Opera and Prague Collegium 1704 under the baton of Václav Luks, it is directed by SKUTR (Martin Kukučka and Lukáš Trpišovský). The duo draw out both the humour and the contrasts implicit in Rameau’s work with an interpretation that is at once audacious and poetic, defying all concepts of time and boundaries. The result is a marriage of Baroque tradition and contemporary artistic excellence. Having premiered in Prague in November 2024, the production that thrilled both audiences and critics alike has again been included in this year’s programme. The German daily FAZ has already hailed it as one of the Top 10 operas of the year.