Psyché by Ambroise Thomas was premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on January 26, 1857 and tells the story of the unhappy love between Eros and Psyche, who are manipulated by the cynical Mercury and envied by Daphne and Berenice, the heroine's sisters. The style of the work represents the ultimate in mid-19th century French opéra-comique, particularly through the Italian influence of Rossini, which gives the singers of the two main roles - one of which, Eros, is a trouser role for mezzo-soprano - the opportunity to shine in a torrent of coloratura that pours out in impressive, passionate love duets. Librettists Jules Barbier and Michel Carré achieved an inspired blend of comedy and tragedy by juxtaposing a quartet of cruel and grotesque characters (Psyche's sisters and their suitors) with the noble hero and heroine. Ambroise Thomas' music not only foreshadows the future triumphs of Mignon and Hamlet: it is worthy to stand alongside them at the pinnacle of his operatic legacy, as his obituarists have declared. This recording confirms their judgment.
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