GRAND AVIGNON For its new season, the Opera lives the Moon
The Opéra du Grand Avignon presented its new season on Tuesday, called “Season of the Moon”. The satellite will act as a common thread between now and June, for an eclectic season, between big names in opera, world creation and step aside with Daniel Auteuil or Bertrand Belin.
Live shows are at the forefront of covid victims, and the Opéra du Grand Avignon is no exception, with a 12% drop in attendance in 2021/2022 compared to the last season without covid. “But we can say that we are not doing so badly, the average for operas is rather a drop of 20 to 25%”comforts the vice-president of Grand Avignon delegated to the Live Show, Claude Morel.
Nevertheless, for the opera the challenge remains the same as before the covid: to offer quality programming, but which also allows to bring in a new audience, responsible for taking the place “of an aging public”, recognizes the chosen one. To achieve this, the Opera is launching its new season around the Moon, which represents “the dream, femininity, fertility, which has fascinated artists throughout the centuries”advance, lyric, the director of the Opera, Frédéric Roels.
It’s around “this tutelary figure” that the programming has been built. The Moon returns here and there, without falling into the pitfall of the catalog of numerous works inspired by satellite notes. There are also works postponed due to the health crisis, and shows that will start almost all at 8 p.m. instead of 8:30 p.m., a change that emerged from a survey of the public.
Frédéric Roels likes to associate artists with the seasons of the Opera. This is therefore still the case this year, with the photographer Marie Benattar, who illustrates all the shows, the composer Joséphine Stephenson, who created her first grand opera in Avignon, a world premiere please, and the pianist Célia Oneto Bensaïd, who will participate in no less than five projects over the season. The two directors Sandra Pocceschi and Giacomo Strada will be in residence.
Revisited classics, participatory operas and world creation
In terms of programming, and more specifically opera and operetta, the season will begin on October 7 with “The Knight and the Rose” by Richard Strauss, directed by Jean-Claude Berutti and directed by Jochem Hochstenbach. A staple of opera, “played in a more contemporary way”, points out Frédéric Roels. We stay in the classics with “Rinaldo” by Handel, directed by Claire Dancoisne and directed by Bertrand Cuiller, on November 20. A baroque work, with a modern staging that “reinterpreting the idea of baroque machinery”says the director.
The Opéra du Grand Avignon has got into the habit of offering participatory operas, of including shows during the course, of sending the public back singing too, using material imported beforehand and even participation in rehearsals. This season there will be two, the first, “Bastien et Bastienne” by Mozart, directed by Mathilde Dromard, on November 26 at the Other Stage. A children’s opera written by a child, since Mozart composed it at the age of 12. The second participatory opera will be “The Dreamers of the Moon”, by the English composer Howard Moody, under the direction of Federico Santi, staged by the two directors in residence. This show will be performed for the first time in French, on January 22 at the Opera.
The Opera also pays tribute to female composers such as Sophie Gail, with “La Sérénade”, a 19th century comic opera on thwarted loves brought up to date by the director Jean Lacornerie under the direction of Debora Waldman. . This show will make it possible to end the year well, and to start the new one even better, the dates ranging from December 30 to January 1 inclusive. On March 3, “Il Turco in Italia”, by Rossini, directed by Jean-Louis Grinda and directed by Miguel Campos Neto, will allow “with a very lively and playful staging”according to Frédéric Roels, to (re)discover this opera full of misunderstandings.
The Moon, common thread with “Le voyage dans la Lune” by Offenbach, directed by Olivier Fredj and directed by Pierre Dumoussaud, on March 24 and 26. A project that has already toured France, and which has honored French artists. A classic, with “Samson et Dalila” by Saint-Saëns, directed by Paco Azorin and directed by Nicolas Krüger, on June 9. A piece removed due to covid, and which has a social dimension, since it includes an inclusion component for people with disabilities.
Finally, let’s save the world creation for the end, with “Three lunar sees”, by Joséphine Stephenson, directed by Léo Warynski and directed by Frédéric Roels himself. Three intertwining stories: that of a couple of women who want a child, that of an elderly couple who are gradually driven away by illness and that of a young environmental activist caught in the middle of action by a security watchman. night who finds himself faced with a case of conscience. “A contemporary work, which asks questions about our time, with contemporary music but in the classical tradition”, presents Frédéric Roels. To be found on May 5 and 7 at the Opera.
Daniel Auteuil, the stage local
On the dance side, let’s mention the creations of the year: “From a spring morning” by Emilio Calcagno, director of the ballet of the Opera, on October 29, around the works of Ravel, Debussy, Satie or even Boulanger, “Boléro and “L’Oiseau de feu”, choreographed by Hervé Koubi for the first and Edouard Hue for the second on April 6 and 7, or even the new concept signed Emilio Calcagno with “7×7 salon chorégraphique”, where 7 choreographers will perform each a duet with a ballet dancer. Will be there: Olivier Dubois, Johanna Faye, Edouard Hue, Leila Ka, Philippe Kratz, Sylvère Lamotte and Rosalba Torres Guerrero. May 19.
On the symphonic side, the National Orchestra of Avignon Provence offers nine dates. Opening on October 12, “Two Sisters” with the two mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes and Delphine Haidan under the direction of Debora Waldman. We should also mention Angélique Kidjo on January 12 and 13, or “Where do you want to go”, with mezzo-soprano Aude Extremo, on March 10.
The Opera season also includes musical theatre, with six dates including “Au bonheur des vivants” staged by Cécile Roussant and Julien Lubek on October 15, opera, including a recital event around Rossini by Olga Peretyatko , one of today’s greatest sopranos, on January 29, or even chamber music, with pianist Adam Laloum, among others, on November 29.
The opera will also offer concerts outside of classical music, with, for example, Daniel Auteuil on December 10, the new Avignon scene under the leadership of Emma Daumas on January 27, jazz by Thomas de Pourquery on January 31 or the French song of Bertrand Belin on February 5. A program dedicated to families is also offered, with six dates starting on October 8 with “L’Eau douce” by choreographer Nathalie Pernette, from 3 years old.
Finally, after the success of last year, the “Midday at the Opera” dates are back in force, increasing from 5 to 10 free dates at 12:30 p.m. The premiere will be around the mandolin on September 30 with Vincent Beer-Demander.
Thierry ALLARD
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