NewsEvents

Amadis de Gaule

Lyrical tragedy by Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)

France Première

Philippe Do (Amadis), Hélène Guilmette (Oriane), Franco Pomponi (Arcalaüs), Julie Fuchs (Urgande), Allyson McHardy (Arcabonne), Barbara Sorc (Discord), Peter Martincic (Hatred)

Danse Troup Les Cavatines
Ballet troupe and choir of SNG Opera in balet Ljubljana

Jérémie Rhorer Conductor
Natalie van Parys Choregraphy
Marcel Bozonnet Direction
Le Cercle de l’Harmonie

Amadis de Gaule by Johann Christian Bach offers one of the most surprising facets of the modernity of French opera in the late 18th century. Installed in England since 1762, the “London Bach” very soon became an essential figure on the music scene. This reputation earned him an invitation to Paris to compose an Amadis based on the libretto by Quinault, already set to music by Lully a century earlier. Composed against a background of rivalry between the partisans of Gluck and Piccinni, this lyrical tragedy, the composer’s last opera, may be regarded as his musical testament. With Mozart’s contemporary Idomeneo, Amadis is a perfect illustration of the fame of the French “model” throughout Europe on the eve of the Revolution.

Coproduction : Opéra Comique / CMBV / Palazzetto Bru Zane - Centre de musique romantique française
Production-Organisation: Château de Versailles Spectacles / Palazzetto Bru Zane - Centre de musique romantique française

Royal Opera of Versailles
Saturday 10 and Monday 12 December 2012 - 8:00 pm
Time: 3h including intermission

Booking

Orfeo

Monteverdi Opera

Jean Sébastien Bou (baritone) Jérôme Varnier (bass) Caroline Mutel (soprano) Hjördis Thebault (soprano) Théophile Alexandre (counter-tenor) Jean-Paul Bonnevalle (counter-tenor) Julien Picard (tenor) Sarah Jouffroy (mezzo-soprano) Lisandro Nesis (tenor) Ronan Nédélec (baritone) Virginie Pochon (soprano) Geoffroy Buffière (baritone-bass)

Sébastien d’Hérin Conductor
Caroline Mutel Direction
Les Nouveaux Caractères

Bringing together an almost ideal cast for this founding work by Monteverdi, Sébastien d’Hérin is undertaking a “dramatic” approach:

“Nowadays, everyone acknowledges that amongst the masterpieces of opera, the oldest one is Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi (...).

The work is composed on a libretto in verse by Striggio, a 16th century poet, son of a musician and originally from Lombardy. For the first time in the history of music, words and music are combined to give a feeling of sense and emotion. The action does not prevail anywhere, and just the music of the words is magnified by the science and genius of the composer (...).

The work relates a famous mythological episode: the descent of Orpheus into the Underworld. It is based around a prologue and five acts. Through the allegorical character of Music, Monteverdi shows us that the power of his art is total: his magic lyre, this imaginary instrument, is no other than the five-part orchestra, invented by the composer for the musicians in the Court of Mantua!

Royal Opera of Versailles
Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 January 2012 - 8:00 pm

Booking

Le Roi et le fermier

Monsigny Opera

France Première

Thomas Michael Allen (tenor, The King) William Sharp (baryton, The Farmer) Dominique Labelle (soprano, Jenny) Thomas Dolié (baryton, Rustaut) Jeffrey Thompson (tenor, Lurewel) Delores Ziegler (mezzo-soprano, The Mother) Yulia Van Doren (soprano, Betsy) David Newman (baritone, Charlot) Tony Boutté (tenor, Le Courtisan)

Directed by Didier Rousselet
Choreographied by Monica Neagoy
Opera Lafayette Orchestra
Conducted by Ryan Brown
 
Pierre Alexandre Monsigny was one of the main inventors of French comic opera at the end of the 18th century. His fifth work, Le Roi et Le Fermier (The King and the Farmer) was a first triumph, before Le Déserteur which engraved his name in history.

At its time, Le Roi et le Fermier was a popular and controversial opera: after Act I closed with a storm scene, Act II provided a night-time divertissement leading to a brave treatment of class issues in Act III. After some changes made by the censors, the work was premiered at the Opéra Comique in Paris in 1762, then performed extensively both in Paris and Vienna before being taken up and performed, ironically, by Marie-Antoinette and her troupe of Seigneurs at the Théâtre de la Reine in Versailles, in 1780.

This re-creation came about very unexpectedly, when we contacted Ryan Brown, musical director of the Opera Lafayette in New York. We invited him to perform Le Déserteur at Versailles and he suggested re-creating Le Roi et le fermier. It was discovered that the original stage sets used for Marie-Antoinette’s intimate performances still existed, preserved at the Petit Théâtre de la Reine. They were restored in the 19th century and so will be used in the performances of Le Roi et le fermier in Versailles, but this time at the “grand” Royal Opera, thanks to the preservation by the museum, and to the creation of a copy by Antoine Fontaine of one of backcloths which could not be moved.

The pioneering work in French baroque opera carried out in New York by Opera Lafayette has been applauded by both American critics and by the success of their CD recordings. This new production of Le Roi et le fermier will be premiered in New York with copies of the Versailles stage sets, then performed in Versailles with the original ones: a very rare, but fascinating artistic adventure, produced by excellent singers.

An Opera Lafayette production

Royal Opera of Versailles
Saturday 4 February 2012 - 8:00 pm
Sunday 5 February 2012 - 4:00 pm

Booking

Tancrede

Rossini Opera

Nora Gubisch, Elena de la Merced, Filippo Adami, Christian Helmer, Gemma Coma Alabert, Valérie Yeng Seng

Jean-Claude Magloire Conductor
Jean-Philippe Delavaut Direction
La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy

Syracuse, in the year 1005. Argirio, President of the Senate, and Orbazzano are finally at peace. To bind this alliance, Argirion promises his daughter in marriage to Orbazzano, who is preparing for battle with the Sarrazins, led by Solamir. Amenaide is in love with Tancredi and sends him a letter that he will never receive. The letter is discovered, but it does not mention Tancredi by name, so she is imprisoned, stricken by despair for her lost love for Tancredi, who thinks she is in love with someone else…

Amenaide, who does not relent and prefers to rot and die in prison rather than reveal her love for Tancredi. The dread of a father who condemns his daughter. The horror of an exiled lover who returns disguised to declare his love and leaves for war, haunted by his lover’s betrayal : all the ingredients of a powerful drama, supported by a duet, Nora Gubisch and Elena de la Merced, whom charm, bond and intensity already were widely applauded by the critics and the audience.

This opera, with its finesse that Stendhal never ceased to praise, was a great success and contributed to the glory of a young 21-year old Rossini. Here, Rossini offers amongst the most beautiful musical pages he ever wrote.

Royal Opera of Versailles
Friday 23 March 2012 - 8:00 pm
Sunday 25 March 2012- 4:00 pm

Booking