After hearing an exceptionally beautiful song from this French musical, I tracked it down and managed to find the entire filmed production with added subtitles! le Roi Soleil (The Sun King) tells the story of the early reign of Louis IVX and the people in his life that molded him into the legend he has become in history. The musical-comedy premiered in 2005 and was an absolute success. The entire performance is a streamlined history that is infused with modern day music and dance. The genius artistry of Cirque de Soleil is an obvious influence that would be fitting for the over the top lifestyle of the 17th century French nobles in Versailles.
Here's the entire show.
Click on the CC square in the bottom right hand corner to get the subtitles.
Was it an astounding show such as Les Miserables or Phantom of the Opera? No. Not really. It's very simple and to the point. le Roi Soleil is barely 2 hours, but it certainly moves through the first 10-15 years of King Louis' reign. The writers of the show focused on the most important events and the most influential people in Louis' life and made that the basis of the show. By doing so, the audience was able to get a basic understanding of France's most notable monarch.
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| L-R--Christopher Mae as Monsieur Philippe - Louis' degenerate brother Emmanual Moire as King Louis IXV - the Sun King Merwan Rim as The Duc de Beaufort - the King's cousin and revolutionary
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First off, can we just appreciate how amazingly gorgeous this lead cast is?!
Emmanuel More who plays Louis was perfect in the role as the young and unsure king who came to the throne through his mother, Queen Anne of Austria, and the power of the Church. His voice is nothing short of decadent and he brought an almost prince charming quality to his character. In real life, Louis was not the most likable of people and had no problem making enemies. He is famous for his long standing affairs with numerous mistresses and his persecution of the Huguenots (French Protestants). So, it's only natural that in stories he's written as greedy, heartless and cruel. le Roi Soleil took a rare take on the monarch and portrayed him as kind, but certainly no man's fool either. It was really hard not to fall in love with him!
The supporting cast was just as wonderful and you really saw a genuine chemistry among the actors and their respective characters. The three primary women in Louis' life, his first love Marie, his most famous mistress, Madame de Montespan and his second wife, Francoise were the primary influences in the growing character of Louis. The modern elements of the story is brought out entirely in the character of Louis' brother Philippe with his dreadlock wigs and hip-hop dance numbers. However it's fitting for a character who in history was on open homosexual and lived an outrageous lifestyle.
The costumes and sets alone were stunning. From Louis' kingly robes to Philippe's flamboyant Versailles ensemble. All the costumes really informed the characters because their is little to no dialogue in the show and so the audience has to rely on the costuming to get a better understanding of the character and their primary role.
I'm glad I was able to get to view this little gem. It was fun and charming and had no shortage of comic and artistic delight. Monarchal history can make a great story, but usually not a happy one (I'm looking at you Shakespeare). And while the time of Louis the IXV was marked with war and strife, both in and out of the Palace of Versailles, King Louis' reign as the Sun King will always be the most memorable, the most loved and the most revered. Louis truly believed himself to be chosen by God to bring together his broken kingdom and lead it into a remarkable golden age of culture and learning. An accomplishment that took a lifetime, but certainly not one he did alone either.
Behind the Scenes
I've never heard about this before, but now I'm intrigued. It looks amazing visually and the characters sound interesting to follow. I'll probably watch it now!
ReplyDeleteSeeing as it takes place in 17th century France--or as I call it 'cupcake era'--you would expect the visual artistry to be exceptional and believe me it is. The costumes alone are delightful!
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