The Indian Queen

A fascinating theatrical hype swept through 17th-century London: dramatick opera combined spoken drama with music, dance and spectacular sets. The success of these musicals avant-la-lettre was due to the irresistible music of Henry Purcell. Just before his death, the composer was still involved in The Indian Queen, a heroic drama about the battle between the Queen of Mexico and a mysterious Inca General. The blood-curdling intrigue balances between political drama and family saga, and ends in a havoc that could easily compete with the average season finale of Game of Thrones. Director Guy Cassiers took a leap that few have attempted: he embraced The Indian Queen in all its hybridity and gave it a contemporary interpretation. Together with a star cast of singers and actors, and with Emmanuelle Haïm's baroque ensemble Le Concert d'Astrée, Cassiers delivers one of the most successful stagings of dramatick opera today.