Les Fêtes d'Hébé at Opéra Comique

Are you wondering what a “French-style” opera might look like? Luckily for you, here's your chance to discover a taste of the French lyrical arts.
Jean-Philippe Rameau's Les Fêtes d'Hébé is a 1739 opera-ballet in three acts, each representing the lyrical arts of poetry, music, and dance. This masterpiece is unique in many ways, both musically and dramatically.

Rameau, the undisputed master of Baroque opera, wove a rich, vibrant tapestry of sound, wherein virtuoso melodic lines blend harmoniously with colourful orchestrations. Each symphony and dance expresses a whole range of emotions, from dazzling joy to the most intimate and profoundly touching of sentiments.

What particularly sets Les Fêtes d'Hébé apart is its harmonious marriage of music and dance. Rameau, aware of the importance of dance in French culture, incorporated magnificent choreographic sequences that intertwine fluidly with the musical passages.

If you’re not already convinced, the Opéra Comique has called upon the immaculate dual talents of the famous Canadian director Robert Carsen and the great British conductor William Christie, the same man who has enabled audiences to rediscover masterpieces of French baroque opera.

The greatness doesn’t stop there… The vocal magnificence on offer will only be first-rate! You'll find Emmanuelle de Negri as Hébé, Léa Desandre as Sapho, Antonin Rondepierre as Thélème, and Cyril Auvity and Matthieu Walendzik in the poetic roles of the Brook and the River. A host of present-day excellence to accompany a timeless tale…what’s not to love?

See details for our premium option below!

Would you like a little more than just a ticket to the show? To make your experience unforgettable, you can choose to extend the evening with an evening concert after the opera has finished. This is given by artists from the production or the Academy on the theme of the opera being performed. It lasts approximately 50 minutes. You will have the option to include the premium add-on during the reservation process.

An evening concert is available on the following date:

Saturday, December 21st, 2024

In many tales following the adventures of the gods and goddesses, it’s not uncommon to find that many of them share the same problems and desires as mere mortals.

Jean-Philippe Rameau's Les Fêtes d'Hébé (The Feasts of Hébé) takes you on a tour of the Opéra Comique, following in the footsteps of Hébé, the goddess of youth. Tired of rubbing shoulders with the fickle gods of Olympus, she decides to descend to Earth to taste the pleasure of humans. Pursued and pestered by Momus, satire and mockery incarnate, Hébé is also joined by the Graces and Love, who decide to make their home on Earth. Zéphyre and his advisors come to support a chariot to carry Hébé, leading the whole troupe to fly off to ‘the most pleasant place’: the banks of the Seine, which you yourself can find just a stone’s throw from the Opéra Comique!

Gods and goddesses convene on the banks of the Seine to the music of Jean-Philippe Rameau, an impeccable score and mesmerising imagery that will make you see Paris in a new, more whimsical light. Book your tickets, and come and rediscover the power of “youth”!