(Image Source: Royal College of Music Facebook page)

This season, the RCM Opera Studio will showcase a triple bill of French-language operas from Britten, Debussy and Ravel.

The first work to be presented is the Britten’s contemplative song cycle “Les Illuminations” that features settings of Arthur Rimbaud’s poetry with a soprano soloist performing alongside string orchestra.

RCM Opera Studio will then perform Claude Debussy’s dramatic cantata “L’enfant prodigue.”

Concluding the program is Ravel’s popular comédie musicale “L’heure espagnole.” Although sung in French, the piece is set in the Spanish city of Toledo.

All three pieces are given a contemporary setting by director Olivia Fuchs. As is traditional for RCM opera productions, two casts will alternate performances.

Olivia Fuchs has worked extensively in opera and musical theatre, directing productions at the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Opera Australia and the Danish National Opera, among many others. Fuchs recently staged Händel’s oratorio “Semele” for the Royal Academy Opera, Verdi and Boito’s “Otello” at the Theater Magdeburg and Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta” for the Opera Holland Park, among others.

The works by Britten, Debussy and Ravel at the RCM Opera Studio will be performed from March 16 – March 21.