Esteemed Readers,
here is another note from the Mercure Galant telling about January feast, taken on occasion of an ordinary Carnival before the Lenten period. The Opera is as always the most preferable pleasure:
“…It’s time to tell you about entertainments of this season. You know that all the pleasures are connected with it. I start from the Court’s ones. I’d mention that l’Opéra de Bellèrophon is the most important of this month. His Majesty enjoyed it so much and found it so wonderful that it was repeated twice during each Performance. And the whole Paris agreed that it was rare & indeed difficult to perform. I would like to speak little about the Plot made as a Tragedy, which joins all the lines coming from its core and it does not engage any extra events, except the Marriage Scene & Faunes, created against Author’s will and needed only to set Poetry to Music. Performances of this Opera ended last Friday to be exchanged with those of l’Opéra de Proserpine that will be staged February 5 for the first time. Mr. (Messire) Quinault surpassed himself and alike his Verses have all the delicacy necessary for singing, one needs incredible patience to comprehend them. Both ears & eyes must be fully fully satisfied with this Opéra because so rich stage scenery & costumes have not been seen in France yet…”
Happy Holiday Time! Vive le Roy! 🙂
Maria KethuProfumo
eternamenta 
Sounds like a difficult opera for sure. Thanks, Maria.
🙂