Les fêtes d'Hébé was Rameau's second opera-ballet; his first, Les Indes galantes, had appeared in 1735. It was first performed at the Paris Opéra on 21 May 1739. The famous dancer Marie Sallé appeared as Terpsichore in the third entrée. Montdorge was a friend of Rameau's patron Alexandre Le Riche de La Poupelinière. His libretto came in for heavy criticism and the second entrée had to be revised with the aid of Simon-Joseph Pellegrin, who had written the words for Rameau's first opera, Hippolyte et Aricie. In spite of the weak libretto, the work was an immediate success and became one of Rameau's most popular operas, enjoying 80 performances in its first year. It was revived in 1747, 1756 and 1764. Thereafter, 18th century productions only gave partial versions of the work.
Roles
Synopsis
Les fêtes d'Hébé takes the form of a typical opéra -ballet: a series of self-contained acts loosely based around a theme, in this the case the "lyric arts" of poetry, music and dance.
Prologue
Hebe is harassed by the unwanted attentions of Momus. Love suggests she should escape with her to the banks of the River Seine to witness festivities celebrating the arts.
First entrée: Poetry
On the island of Lesbos, the love of the two poets Sappho and Alcaeus is harmed by the jealous Thelemus, who persuades King Hymas to banish Alcaeus. When the king is out hunting, Sappho surprises him and stages an allegorical play for him, by which Hymas learns the truth. The king pardons Alcaeus and the lovers rejoice.
Second entrée: Music
Iphise, daughter of Lycurgus, King of Sparta, is due to be married to Tyrtaeus, an accomplished musician as well as a warrior. An oracle announces that Iphise must marry the "conqueror of the Messenians" and Tyrtaeus leads his soldiers into battle against them. Iphise views the action in the form of a ballet provided by the oracle. Tyrtaeus is victorious and the act ends with general rejoicing.
Third entrée: Dance
The shepherdess Eglé, well known for her skill at dancing, is due to choose a husband. The god Mercury visits her village in disguise and falls in love with her, arousing the jealousy of the shepherd Eurilas. Eglé chooses Mercury and the two celebrate with the help of Terpsichore, the muse of dance, and her followers.
Music
The music has received much praise. According to Cuthbert Girdlestone, "Rameau gave of his best. No work of his contains more variety or contains so kaleidoscopically complete a view of his range in lyric, tragedy or pastoral." Graham Sadler has written, "Rameau, by now at the height of his powers, contributes a score of astonishing inventiveness. C'est une musique enchantée, wrote one contemporary with little exaggeration. This is especially true of the third entrée, wonderfully rich in that languorous and often deeply nostalgic music that is one of Rameau's hallmarks." Rameau included orchestrated versions of several of his harpsichord pieces in the score. For example, L'entretien des Muses in the second entrée from the D major suite in the 1724 Pièces de Clavessin, and the musette and tambourin from the E minor suite in the same book in the third entrée.
