Les plaisirs de Versailles


Les plaisirs de Versailles H.480 is a short opera by the French composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier. It was intended for performance at the new courtly entertainment known as les appartements du roi devised by King Louis XIV and held in his own apartments at the palace of Versailles in 1682. At the time, Charpentier was composer for Louis, le Grand Dauphin, the king's son. The librettist is unknown.

Roles and synopsis

Most of the characters represent the pleasures enjoyed at Versailles: La Musique, La Conversation, Le Jeu, Comus and Un plaisir. The cast of the first performance is unknown but Charpentier himself may have sung Le Jeu. La Musique sings until she is interrupted by the babble of la Conversation. Comus arrives and tries to reconcile the two by offering chocolate, wines and confectionery. Le Jeu suggests they gamble, but la Musique only wants to sing and la Conversation only wants to drink chocolate. The two finally agree to settle their differences so they can both help King Louis to relax after fighting his wars.

Selected recordings