Achille et Polixene 1st edition, 1687

 Achille et Polixene, Jean-Baptiste Lully's last opera, premiered on 7 November 1687, eight months after Lully's death on March 22 of that year. Since the composer had only finished the overture and first act, the score was completed by Pascal Colasse, Lully's secretary and student, to a text by Jean Galbert de Campistron based on events in Virgil's Aeneid. The libretto for this opera differs from those of Lully's earlier works with Philippe Quinault in two significant ways:

• The Prologue, in which the Muses lament the king's desire for military expansion, is unusually somber in tone, although the Prologue's conclusion, as Jupiter announces the coming play, is lively and appealing.

• The rousing ensemble finale Lully's audiences had come to expect occurs, not in its usual place at the end of the opera, but in the wedding ceremony at the end of Act IV. The opera ends tragically, with the suicide of the heroine.

The Prologue is set in "A place once designed for spectacle, now only a shell of its former self." Mercure, messenger of the Gods, questions the Muses to find out why their spirits are downcast. Melpomene replies that the king (i.e. Louis XIV), in his desire for conquest, has plunged the country into war and ignored the Muses and their feasts. The other Muses agree and add: "he does not approve of anything we do; we are not worthy in his eyes." Mercure interrupts and insists that they put aside worry and concentrate on the charming spectacle to be performed before them. The scene is transformed, "as though its former glory had been restored." The Muses agree to pay careful attention to the forthcoming play and to try especially hard to enjoy it despite their misgivings. Jupiter descends and urges their particular contemplation of the Greek hero, Achille. The Muses agree and await the tale of the invincible Achille and his famous battles. 

Act I opens on the Isle of Tenedons, Achille's refuge after a quarrel with Agamemnon. Patrocle asks Achille if Hector's bravery in past battles has made him jealous. Achille responds that only the losses sustained by the Greeks give him pleasure: Agamemnon, king of the Greeks, is the focus of his rage. In a rousing aria ("Je cours asseurer ma memoire"), Patrocle declares that he will defeat Hector. Achille, though concerned for his friend's safety, agrees, saying, "if your heart is strong, so too will be your arms." After Patrocle exits, Achille, left alone, entreats the gods to protect his friend in a moving soliloquy. Diomede approaches and announces that without Achille's help, the Greeks will not overcome the Trojans. Achille insists that he is happy here, out of contact with the quarrelsome Greeks. Diomede chastises the hero, suggesting that his bravery is shallow and that he loves vain pleasure. Venus and the Graces, descending from the heavens, remind Achille of the pleasure he experienced with them when he was not in battle. The act concludes as Arcas rushes in to announce that Patrocle is dead. Achille swears vengeance on Hector in an impassioned aria ("Manes de ce Guerrier, dont je pleure le sort"). 

Act II takes place in a Greek camp on the eve of battle with the Trojans. Diomede is certain that, with Achille's help, the Greeks under Agamemnon will be victorious. Agamemnon remains uncertain and, seeing the advancing Achille, decides to move back. A chorus of soldiers sing the praises of the victorious Achille. Arcas assures the Trojan prisoners that Achille is not without compassion--hope should replace their fears. King Priam of Troy, his daughter Polixene and his daughter-in-law Andromaque conspire to soften Achille's heart. Each appeals to Achille with stories of their losses suffered in the war with Greece. But it is the beautiful Polixene who breaks Achille's heart with her moving aria, "Vous le sçavez, Dieux que j'atteste!" The great warrior pledges eternal peace with the Greeks. 

The Act III curtain rises on Achille's camp. Achille confesses his love for Polixene to Arcas, who reminds the hero that his original intent was to avenge their dead friend Patrocle. Achille counters that it is only Hector who deserves his wrath; the rest of the Trojans are not to blame. Agamemnon enters and also questions Achille's allegiance. Achille reminds him that it is for Patrocle, not the Greeks, that he engaged the Trojans. Agamemnon, realizing that Achille has fallen in love with the enemy princess, introduces the great hero to Briseis, a Greek princess whom he hopes will win Achille back to the side of the Greeks. Briseis confides to Achille the story of her capture and the loss of all she loved. Achille, as gallantly as possible, explains that he cannot love her. Furious, Briseis calls on the goddess Juno to avenge her broken heart. Juno accepts and promises that before the day is over, Briseis will see the result of her request. The act concludes with a chorus of shepherds offering thanks for the peace established by the "generous conqueror." 

Priam's Palace provides the setting for Act IV. Polixene, alone and confused, questions the wisdom of marrying Achille, so recently the enemy of her people. She resigns herself to the inevitable, however, and awaits the ceremony. Andromaque, recognizing Polixene's despair, tries to comfort the bride-to-be, swearing "I will make my fidelity [to you] as famous as his [Achille's] glory." Priam enters and calls for his subjects to begin the wedding celebrations. Choirs of Trojans sing the praises of the beautiful princess and the heroic conqueror. 

Act V takes place in Apollo's temple. As the Act opens, Achille asks his new bride why she turns away from him when he approaches. She replies, "the more I see you, the more I am troubled." Priam enters before the troops of Greeks and Trojans and commands that everyone, for the sake of peace, should surrender himself to love. He charges the lovers to swear an oath of tender and devoted love. Briseis is beside herself with anger when she witnesses the marriage of Achille and Polixene. She demands to know why Juno has not exacted revenge. The chorus of Greeks warn Achille to flee a certain death. He is struck down and Arcas rushes to his side, blaming the Trojan Paris for the treasonous act. Briseis allies herself with Polixene and swears that she will lead the forces to avenge Achille's death. Polixene sends everyone away, and, in "C'en est fait," a grief-stricken soliloquy, declares that she is unable to live without her husband. The opera ends with her suicide. 

Title from title page: ACHILLE / ET / POLIXENE, / TRAGEDIE
Genre: tragédie lyrique (Tragédie en musique)
Siglum from Lully thematic catalog: LWV 74
Composers: Jean-Baptiste Lully, 1632-1687 (Overture and Act I) and Pascal Colasse, 1649-1709 (Prologue and Acts 2-5). Completed by Colasse after Lully's death on 22 March 1687.
Librettist: Jean Galbert de Campistron
Libretto based on: Virgil's Aeneid
Setting: Ancient Troy
Premiere: Paris, Palais Royale, 7 November 1687
First published: Paris: Christophe Ballard, 1687
Volume in the UNT Lully Collection: First edition, Paris: Christophe Ballard, 1687. 

For further reading on Achille et Polixene, see:

Schneider, Herbert.  "Opern Lullys in deutschsprachigen Bearbitungen." In Hamburger Jahrbuch für Musikwissenschaft.  Volume 5.  Laaber: Laaber Verlag, 1981.  69-80.

See the Lully bibliography for suggested reading.

M1500 .C66 A2 1687

Full score: 2° in 4s: 2 a-d4 e3 (single sheet eij pasted inside) A-2Q4 2R2 [$2 signed (Fij signed C; Xij signed ij)], i-vii vii [i.e. viii] xiv-xxxviii 1-85 16 [i.e. 86] 87-204 175 [i.e. 205] 206-316. 10 X 15-1/8 inches.

The premiere of Achille et Polixene (Overture and Act 1 by J.-B. Lully; Prologue and Acts 2-5 completed after Lully's death by Pascal Collasse) took place on November 7, 1687. This first edition of Achille et Polixene was printed in 1687 by the firm of Christophe Ballard to be sold to audience members and opera-lovers attending or prompted by these first performances. As with most of the Ballard first editions in this Lully Collection, corrections (both hand-written and paste-overs) and pagination errors attest to the speed with which it was produced. The signatures of Collasse and Ballard on p. xxxviij (the end of the Prologue) suggest that the composer and printer were continuing the accounting practice of marking each copy available for purchase. The shared composition is indicated both on the title page and with the names of the composers printed in the bottom margins.

Condition: The present binding is a contemporary full-mottled-calf with a panelled spine originally decorated with gilt floral motifs. Most of the panels are missing; the bare spine has been haphazardly patched with marbled paper. The colorful endpapers appear to have been patched over the joints. Some pages have been mended with tape; some pages are discolored and there is some foxing. 

Provenance: Marks indicating previous owners include the rubric "A Mr Bernard" inside the front loose endpaper, and a red wax seal on page i. The bookplate of North Texas State University, showing the older Dewey catalog number, appears on the front paste-down endpaper.

RISM A/I C3383