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For a stormy confrontation between Atis and Orcan William Christie has commandeered a wind machine for the pit to accompany the explosion of extras on the upper gallery. The men battle it out, and the chorus adds to the bombardment [listen -- Air de Furie: 'Quel bruit! -- Vengez l'innocence' (Act 2), DVD1 track 38, 0:00-1:35]. The secret weapon against Anselm is the fairy Manto, the high tenor of François Piolino. The male fairy caused mild outrage in 1760; now he/she is in the latest fashion, and the mock-seduction of Anselm, played with contemporary conviction, is guaranteed to bring any house down.

The fairy is entirely on the side of the young lovers. In the original La Fontaine fable, Atis's main ally in winning Argie is a dog. Of course we see the dog aloft, but it is Manto who does the dirty work against Anselm and frees the lovers [listen -- Trio: 'Vengeons cet outrage!' (Act 3), DVD2 track 19, 0:00-1:26]. That Rameau was attempting a 'comédie lyrique' rather than a farce is clear from the final duet of Atis and Argie, music to melt any mood [listen -- Duo: 'Ah, que j'aimerai mon vainqueur!' (Act 3), DVD2 track 21, 0:00-1:21]. In the midst of the stage tomfoolery there has indeed been a wealth of fine singing. Listening with ears alone, nobody could quite imagine there is a 'Baroque that rocks!'

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