Olivier Fichet

Tragédie en musique (also called tragédie lyrique) is a French Baroque operatic genre forged at the court of Louis XIV by composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and librettist Philippe Quinault. It blends a solemn, heroic or mythological subject with a distinctive five-act plan plus a ceremonial prologue, abundant choral writing, instrumental interludes, and elaborate danced divertissements. The music features the French overture (majestically dotted rhythms), supple French récitatif tailored to the nuances of the language, brief airs rather than showpiece arias, and rich orchestral colors shaped by a five-part string band and basso continuo. Its overall aesthetic is one of noble declamation, dramatic clarity, and courtly spectacle—where text, dance, chorus, and stagecraft combine into a unified theatrical experience.