#1685

Sevika (Season 2) from Arcane

"I love you characters with cool prosthetics"

Christopher Purves, "Fra l'ombre e gl'orrori" (G.F. Handel)

From Handel's Aci, Galatea e Polifemo, a dramatic cantata written in 1708, this dark aria that likens the singer, as the titular Cyclops Polifemo/Polyphemus, to a spent butterfly that knows no joy or peace, while putting the vocalist, in this case bass-baritone Purves, through a roller coaster of a melody that pushes the upper and lower ranges of the register. Beautifully performed live here by the singer.

The cantata, which Handel later turned into the masque Acis and Galatea, is based on the story in Ovid's Metamorphoses of the love between the sea nymph Galatea and the mortal Acis, which comes to a tragic end thanks to the jealous Cyclops.

Napoleonic Concordat of 1801 & Religious Pluralism

The Napoleonic Concordat of 1801 defined France's relationship with the Catholic Church for over 100 years. The Organic Articles were added in 1802 and provided state recognition of the Reformed and Lutheran confessions alongside the Catholic Church. During the 19th century, political upheaval and attempts to reestablish Catholicism as the state religion led to the termination of the Concordat in 1905.

Religious Pluralism in France

Since the beginning of the 16th century, French Protestants struggled for legitimacy, religious equality, and civil rights. They faced opposition from the monarchy and the state religion, the Roman Catholic Church. To end the French Wars of Religion (1562-1598), Henry IV of France and the Edict of Nantes provided protection for Protestantism in 1598. The edict was revoked by his grandson Louis XIV of France (r. 1643-1715) in 1685, which led to the War of the Camisards (1702-1705). With the Edict of Toleration in 1787 under Louis XVI (r. 1774-1792), French Protestants were granted civil rights and permitted to live in the kingdom without religious discrimination. Catholicism remained the state religion and non-Catholics remained excluded from positions in public service.

At the dawn of the French Revolution in 1789, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen announced a new era of religious tolerance and permitted access to civilian and military positions for non-Catholics: "No one may be disturbed on account of his opinions, even religious ones, as long as the manifestation of such opinions does not interfere with the established Law and Order" (Article 10). For a time, this statement remained an ideal yet served as a reference point and foundation for changes to come. After the French Revolution (1789-1799), French Protestants found a greater measure of protection with the Concordat of 1801 and the Organic Articles in 1802 under Napoleon Bonaparte (l. 1769-1821).