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A forgotten opera premieres 280 years late

Transcript¹

This week, an opera was born. But the birth of Jean-Philippe Rameau's Io has been a long time coming — in fact, it took about 280 years.

"We don't know anything about this opera, not the name of the librettist², nor the theater for which it was intended, nor the date of composition and why Rameau has not completed this opera," says French musicologist Sylvie Bouissou.

The longtime Rameau expert recently completed the 18th century French composer's unfinished manuscript of Io, which received its world premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., this week, with an additional performance at New York's El Museo del Barrio next week.

"To try to complete the work and give it a possible life at last after almost three hundred years, it was quite a challenge, believe me," Bouissou tells Morning Edition host Leila Fadel. "I hope the American public feels that because ... it's a gift, really."

As it turns out, Io is a hilarious³ one-act opera-ballet. The plot pits two gods fighting for the love of a mortal nymph, the titular⁴ Io. Mercury plays his traditional role of messenger. There's a storm, a character representing madness ("la Folie") and the two gods just might have something going for each other.

If this sounds frivolous⁵ and over the top, that's because it is. The opera has its roots in Rococo⁶, a dramatic and lavish⁷ style that emerged in the arts of late 18th century France. This late Baroque period was part of the last hurrah⁸ of the monarchy⁹, before it all came crashing down with the French Revolution of 1789 – the one that beheaded a king and queen.

Opera Lafayette's production features an international cast of five lead characters, six Seán Curran Company dancers and 16 chorus members with a chamber¹⁰ orchestra of Baroque period instruments. The Washington, D.C.-based group interprets and produces opera from the 17th to 19th centuries.

Maximalist costumes

"It truly is a maximalist aesthetic," says costume designer Matthew Flower, who goes by Machine Dazzle. His oversized outfits¹¹ burst with color and texture¹². There are hints of drag and burlesque¹³, with sequins, glitter and found objects.

"Everything was just like, look at all of those layers of the dress, look at all of that hair, look at all of the flowers in the hair," he tells NPR's Leila Fadel. "Everything is abundance and alive and beautiful and lush. And everything is like a dessert that has 20 layers."

Rococo was a natural fit for Dazzle, who describes himself as an "instinct-based, emotionally-driven, conceptual artist trapped in the role of costume designer most of the time." The designer's star is on the rise after his first retrospective show, which closed in February at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

A cascading¹⁴ rainbow of tulle fabric¹⁵ with satin backing wraps Folie, whose head is framed in yellow and green like a peacock train. She stands 12 to 14 feet tall, and her skirt has a 20-foot radius¹⁶ when spread out flat on the floor. Multicolored Graces — goddesses of beauty, grace and charm — dance at her feet. At one point, dancers storm in wearing three large "tornadoes¹⁷" above their heads.

Apollo's fish-laden disguise as a mortal is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Madame de Pompadour, the onetime official chief mistress of King Louis XV and influential¹⁸ patron of the arts. She was born Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson (fish). Today, she lives on in the dramatic, upswept hairstyle that bears her name.

An 18th century opera relevant to a 21st century audience

Opera-goers may find some similarities with Platée, another Rameau comic opera first performed in 1745 at the royal palace of Versailles. Bouissou found numerous clues that suggest Io preceded Platée and may have even served as a draft for the longer opera.

Dazzle's costumes help bring the opera into the 21st century, turning the production into something modern and edgy¹⁹ — and more palatable²⁰ to a contemporary audience.

"It's important to make it more current," he says. "You can do that through adding little playful things. I didn't want to create old historical-looking costumes."

For opening night, Dazzle plans to sit in the back row to watch the public react to the culmination²¹ of months of long days and sleepless²² nights.

It's also a landmark²³ moment for Bouissou.

"I was excited with this experience, because it's wonderful, finally it's a rebirth. And with this type of experience and other productions in the world, I know why I do this difficult job — serving Rameau, an absolute genius," she says.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 librettist   

n.(歌剧、音乐剧等的)歌词作者

参考例句：

• The musician and the librettist were collaborators. 音乐家与剧作者通力合作。
• Italian-born American composer and librettist whose operas include The Medium(1946) and The Consul(1950). 梅诺蒂，吉安卡洛生于1911意大利裔美国作曲家和歌剧词作者，其歌剧作品包括女巫（1946年）及领事（1950年）

3 hilarious   

adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed

参考例句：

• The party got quite hilarious after they brought more wine.在他们又拿来更多的酒之后，派对变得更加热闹起来。
• We stop laughing because the show was so hilarious.我们笑个不停，因为那个节目太搞笑了。

4 titular   

adj.名义上的，有名无实的；n.只有名义（或头衔）的人

参考例句：

• The Queen is titular head of the Church of England.英国女王是英国国教名义上的领袖。
• He is titular head,and merely signs laws occasionally.他是名义上的首脑，不过偶尔签字批准法律法规。

5 frivolous   

adj.轻薄的；轻率的

参考例句：

• This is a frivolous way of attacking the problem.这是一种轻率敷衍的处理问题的方式。
• He spent a lot of his money on frivolous things.他在一些无聊的事上花了好多钱。

6 rococo   

n.洛可可；adj.过分修饰的

参考例句：

• She had a passion for Italian rococo.他热衷与意大利的洛可可艺术风格。
• Rococo art portrayed a world of artificiality,make-believe,and game-playing.洛可可艺术描绘出一个人工的、假装的和玩乐性的世界。

7 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

8 hurrah   

int.好哇，万岁，乌拉

参考例句：

• We hurrah when we see the soldiers go by.我们看到士兵经过时向他们欢呼。
• The assistants raised a formidable hurrah.助手们发出了一片震天的欢呼声。

9 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

10 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

11 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

12 texture   

n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理

参考例句：

• We could feel the smooth texture of silk.我们能感觉出丝绸的光滑质地。
• Her skin has a fine texture.她的皮肤细腻。

13 burlesque   

v.嘲弄，戏仿；n.嘲弄，取笑，滑稽模仿

参考例句：

• Our comic play was a burlesque of a Shakespearean tragedy.我们的喜剧是对莎士比亚一出悲剧的讽刺性模仿。
• He shouldn't burlesque the elder.他不应模仿那长者。

14 cascading   

流注( cascade的现在分词 )； 大量落下； 大量垂悬； 梯流

参考例句：

• First of all, cascading menus are to be avoided at all costs. 首先，无论如何都要避免使用级联菜单。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Her sounds began cascading gently. 他的声音开始缓缓地低落下来。

15 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

16 radius   

n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限

参考例句：

• He has visited every shop within a radius of two miles.周围两英里以内的店铺他都去过。
• We are measuring the radius of the circle.我们正在测量圆的半径。

17 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网

18 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

19 edgy   

adj.不安的；易怒的

参考例句：

• She's been a bit edgy lately,waiting for the exam results.她正在等待考试结果，所以最近有些焦躁不安。
• He was nervous and edgy, still chain-smoking.他紧张不安，还在一根接一根地抽着烟。

20 palatable   

adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的

参考例句：

• The truth is not always very palatable.事实真相并非尽如人意。
• This wine is palatable and not very expensive.这种酒味道不错，价钱也不算贵。

21 culmination   

n.顶点；最高潮

参考例句：

• The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
• It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

22 sleepless   

adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的

参考例句：

• The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
• One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。

23 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。