Acanthe et Céphise

Acanthe et Céphise is a heroic pastoral in three acts with music by Rameau and words by Marmontel. It was composed to honor the birth of the duke of Burgundy, and it had its world premiere at the Royal Academy of Music on 19 November 1751. Acanthe et Céphise was not a sensation at the box office, but it did enjoy 17 performances at the Opéra between the time of its premiere and its last billing at the theatre on 7 January 1752. It drew less than a thousand livres to the box office on three…