Available on all streaming platforms here!

CHARPENTIER : DAVID ET JONATHAS

Biblical tragedy in five acts with a prologue, based on a libretto by Father Bretonneau, created in 1688 in Paris.

First complete staging in the Royal Chapel of Versailles

Ensemble Marguerite Louise
Gaétan Jarry Conductor
Marshall Pynkoski Stage direction
Antoine and Roland Fontaine Settings
Christian Lacroix Costumes

Marc-Antoine Charpentier spent most of his career without being able to access opera, as Lully held the royal privilege for this form, however he was able to create a lyrical masterpiece under very special circumstances. In 1688, the Collège Louis Le Grand, in the Jesuit tradition of theatrical, musical and choreographic practice, performed his lyrical tragedy David et Jonathas, with acts interspersed between those of the play Saul. This musical work relates a well-known subject from the Old Testament, the strong friendship - the biblical love - of David and Jonathas, son of King Saul (the latter convinced of the betrayal of the young David, who took refuge in the Philistine’s camp after his banishment). The inevitable confrontation between their armies leads to Saul's suicide and Jonathas' death in the arms of the victorious David...

The extraordinary inspiration of Charpentier's music, the dramatic force of the libretto, and the intense emotion that radiates from the work, led to great success from the outset, as shown by several revivals in other Jesuit colleges. This production is a baroque dream: a performance of the sacred drama David and Jonathas in the Chapelle Royale of Versailles, with a magnificent set by Antoine Fontaine, costumes by Christian Lacroix, a baroque and vibrant staging by Marshall Pynkoski, choreography by Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, and the admirable musical vision of Gaetan Jarry leading exceptional soloists. This is the vibrant version of the fateful, fusional love between David and Jonathas...

Produced by Opéra Royal / Château de Versailles Spectacles.

This show was recorded  from November 12th to 16th 2022 by Camera Lucida at the Royal Chapel.

You may find the booklet, available in French and English, by clicking here

You may find this  recording on our online shop by clicking here