As part of its “Opéra d’Été” program, the Opéra National de Paris will present video transmissions of numerous productions in different venues around the country throughout the summer. This summer, the company will present two operas and two ballets, with the two vocal works including “Cendrillon” and “Roméo et Juliette.” The operas will head to Vannes, Digne-les-Bains, Vesoul, La Léchere, {…}
The Opéra de Paris has announced a cast change for its June 23 performance of Spontini’s “La Vestale.” The company said, “Jean Teitgen, unwell, will not be able to perform vocally on Sunday, June 23, 2024. The role of the Souverain Pontife will be played on stage by Jean Teitgen and sung upstage by Nicolas Courjal.” Courjal has performed with {…}
The Opéra de Paris has announced a cast change for its June 15 performance of “La Vestale.” The company said that Elodie Hache will sing the role of Julia replacing Elza van den Heever, who is ill. Van den Heever took to social media and said, “I am heartbroken to share the news that I will not sing this evening’s {…}
(Photo credit: Emilie Brouchon / Opéra national de Paris) I’ve been told that one reads “Don Quichotte” three times in life: in one’s twenties to laugh, in one’s forties to think, and in one’s sixties to cry. This saddening saying reflects the multivocal quality of the Chevalier of La Mancha’s myth: painfully delusional and carnally human, his hallucinatory deeds are {…}
(Photo: Charles Duprat / Opéra National de Paris) Whether you liked it or not, Lydia Steier’s “Salome” was the event of last season. Bleeding bodies, shooting guns, nudity, and rape; it was an R-rated “Salome.” Its provocations echoed both Wilde’s spirit and current discussions of gender, capitalism, and harassment. In this revival, the story is a bit different. The true {…}
Opéra National de Paris is set to present a new production of Massenet’s “Don Quichotte.” Patrick Fournillier will conduct the new production by Damiano Michieletto. The cast will include Christian Van Horn and Gábor Bretz in the title role, Gaëlle Arquez as La Belle Dulcinée, Étienne Dupuis as Sancho Pança, Emy Gazeilles and Marine Chagnon playing the roles of Pedro and {…}
Photo credit: Elisa Haberer / Opéra national de Paris Paris Opera’s production of Charpentier’s “Médée” is not bad, but throughout the performance, operagoers will be filled with a sensation of uneasiness. It is not necessarily because of its murderous plot, but because the production feels unsuited to its musicians. It leaves one with the feeling of wearing a garment lent {…}
The French Ministry of Culture has announced the reduction of the Opéra de París’ budget. According to Radiofrance, the budget will be cut by six million euros. Furthermore, the news comes after the cancellation of more than 200 million credits imposed on the Ministry of Culture, resulting in nationwide budget cuts to large cultural institutions. In 2023, the Opéra de {…}
Soprano Nicole Car took to social media to address the events at the Opéra de Paris on March 25, 2024. The company presented “Simon Boccanegra” on March 25, but was forced to stop the performance and send audiences home without completing the opera. The soprano clarified what had happened in her post. Car clarified, “Dear friends, During last night’s performance {…}
(Photo credit: Vincent Pontet-OnP) A few years ago, when Bieito’s staging of “Simon Boccanegra” premiered at the Paris Opera, the reviews were abysmal. Few things are as catchy in the opera world as negative consensus. I got to see the same production with a very similar cast last weekend, and, somehow, I think it was one of the most emotional {…}
The Opéra de Paris has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera Verdi’s “Falstaff” opens the season with a cast that includes Ambrogio Maestri, Olivia Boen, Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur, Andrei Kymach, Gregory Bonfatti, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Iván Ayón-Rivas, and Federica Guida. Michael Schønwandt conducts the production by Dominique Pitoiset. Performance Dates: Sept. 10-30, 2024 Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will star Eleonora Buratto, Elena Stikhina, Aude {…}