Naïs

Naïs is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau first performed on 22 April 1749 at the Opéra in Paris. It takes the form of a pastorale héroïque in three acts and a prologue. The librettist was Louis de Cahusac, in the fourth collaboration between him and Rameau. The work bears the subtitle Opéra pour La Paix, which refers to the fact that Rameau composed the opera on the occasion of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, at the conclusion of the War of the Austrian Succession. Its original title was Le triomphe de la paix, but criticism of the terms of the treaty led to a change in the title.

The story concerns the god Neptune, who is in love with the nymph Naïs and disguises himself as a mortal to try to win her over. This takes place at the Isthmian Games at Corinth, coincidentally a festival dedicated to Neptune. The god's rivals for the affections of Naïs are the Corinthian chief Télénus and the leader of the Isthmian shepherds, Astérion. Naïs's father, the blind soothsayer, Tiresias warns Télémus and Asterion to be wary of the sea god, and they interpret it to mean they should sacrifice their rival. They are about to attack the disguised Neptune when he drowns them by summoning huge waves. Neptune reveals his identity to Naïs and takes her to his underwater palace, where he turns her into a goddess.

The prologue has the subtitle L'accord des dieux ("The Agreement of the Gods").

Scene: The stage portrays the upper atmosphere. The titans and giants are seen down on earth heaping up mountains to scale the heavens. They are led by Discord and war. In the upper atmosphere, Jupiter appears armed with a thunderbolt and surrounded by the gods of heaven

The overture leads straight into a chorus of the titans and giants as they attack the heavens (Chorus: "Attaquons les cieux"). They aim to destroy the peace. The gods urge Jupiter to slay the rebels with his lightning (Chorus: "Lancez, lancez la foudre"). In the ensuing battle, Jupiter crushes the titans and giants, burying them under mountains. Pluto captures Discord and War ("Arrêtez, monstres, arrêtez"). The gods celebrate Jupiter's victory (Chorus: "Triomphe, ô Jupiter! redoutable vainqueur"), but he says he intends to share the glory and will divide responsibility for the universe with his brothers: he will rule over the heavens, Neptune over the seas, and Pluto over the Underworld. Flora, the gods and the different peoples of the earth celebrate the peace (Air: "Ah! que la paix nous promet de douceurs") as Spring reawakens. They express gratitude for their happiness to Jupiter (Chorus: "Heureux vainqueur, le ciel, la terre et l'onde").

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