Language: Italian
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish

La Calisto is an opera by Francesco Cavalli from a libretto by Giovanni Faustini based on the mythological story of Callisto.
The libretto was published in 1651 by Giuliani and Batti. The story combines two myths: Jupiter's seduction of Calisto, and Diana's adventure with Endymion. The plot is somewhat formulaic: Jane Glover has commented on how the librettist had to invent complications to meet audience expectations in the context of Venetian opera.

You certainly weren't bored in the festive, libertarian and sassy Venice of the mid-17th century. In this city where the Carnival lasted six months and which saw the proliferation of theaters that it had invented a few years earlier, where everyone could, by paying their place, attend the shows reserved until then only for the princely courts, La Calisto created in 1651 testifies to this. Inspired by one of Ovid's Metamorphoses, Giovanni Faustini's abundant libretto recounts the misadventures of the nymph Calisto, Diana's follower, on whom Jupiter has set his sights but who refuses him, eager to preserve both her chastity and especially her freedom.

On the advice of faithful Mercury, Jupiter takes on the appearance of Diana and it works! Here is Calisto all exhilarated by these physical effusions and frankly seduced by the one she believes to be his mistress, obviously drawing the reproaches of the real Diana when she offers to repeat them. While by a reverse misunderstanding, the shepherd Endymion in love with Diane shows himself attracted by Jupiter in disguise, Juno, always in pursuit of her fickle husband's infidelities, unmasks the deception and takes revenge by transforming Calisto into a bear. and sassy Venice of the mid-17th century.

In this city where the Carnival lasted six months and which saw the proliferation of theaters that it had invented a few years earlier, where everyone could, by paying their place, attend the shows reserved until then only for the princely courts, La Calisto created in 1651 testifies to this.

Director: Christophe Rousset (Music Director), Mariame Clément (Theatre Director)
Cast: Les Talens Lyriques, Elena Tsallagova (Calisto), Vivica Genaux (L’Eternité / Diane), Giovanni Battista Parodi (Jupiter), Nikolay Borchev (Mercury), Filippo Mineccia (Endymion), Raffaella Milanesi (Destiny / Juno), Guy de Mey (Lymphée), Vasily Khoroshev (The little Satyr), Lawrence Olsworth-Peter (La Nature / Pan), Jaroslaw Kitala (Sylvain), Tatiana Zolotikova and Yasmina Favre (Two Furies)