Atys

Prologue
Time and the Hours are celebrating Louis XIV. Flore precedes spring so as to woo him before he goes to war. But Melpomene, the muse of tragedy pushes them aside: she wants to take advantage of winter and the assembled court to recall the love of Cybele and Atys. Then Iris reconciles them: may Nature and Art unite to celebrate Atys.

Act I
Atys gathers the Phrygians to celebrate the goddess Cybele. His friend Idas sets his religious zeal against his insensitivity. After having announced his resolution to never fall in love, Atys admits to have failed to his word. They are interrupted by Sangaride and Doris who are honoring Cybele. Sangaride is to wed King Celenus soon, but she confides to Doris that she loves Atys. However, Atys opens his heart to her: since he is to die after the nuptials, she should know that he loves her. The reciprocity of their feelings drives them to despair. But the ceremony to the goddess interrupts them and Cybele announces she will choose her sacrificer.

Act II
King Celenus confides to Atys his fear of not being loved by Sangaride. Atys must reassure his rival! Cybele wishes to honor Atys and choose him as her sacrificer. Celenus is delighted for his friend. Cybele tells her secret motives to her confidante Melisse: her love for mortal Atys is all too human. Then the Nations and Zephyrs gather to celebrate Cybele’s choice.

Act III
Doris and Idas come to tell Atys that Sangaride is intent on canceling the wedding and asking for Cybele’s protection. Overcome by sleep ordered by Cybele, Atys falls into slumber. The deities of sleep and the Dreams let Atys know that Cybele loves him and advise him to be faithful. Atys awakens with Cybele at his bedside. Sangaride comes to beseech the goddess. Atys prevents her from revealing their love but cannot silence Cybele. Sangaride leaves in grief. Cybele suffers from Atys’s indifference toward her.

Act IV
Convinced that Atys is in love with Cybele, Sangaride resigns herself to her marriage to Celenus, who tells Atys he is thrilled. After a moment of disappointment, the two lovers renew their vows and decide to employ Atys’s new power to their love’s advantage. The river Sangar invites his retinue to celebrate his son-in-law. Atys undertakes a daring enterprise: he announces that Cybele forbade the wedding so that Sangaride may become a priestess of her rite. He abducts Sangaride.

Act V
Cybele reveals everything to Celenus. and summons the young lovers. They appeal for clemency on each other’s behalf. But merciless Cybele invokes the hellish deity Alecton to bewitch Atys. The latter mistakes Sangaride for a monster and kills her. Recovering his senses, Atys appeals to rebellion against the heartless gods. While Cybele is smitten with remorse, dying Atys is brought back after he stabbed himself. Cybele turns him into a pine tree so that nature will remember this love.