La Périchole
Jacques Offenbach
Offenbach in all his glory: an effective libretto, a lively, colourful score, the duo of Marc Minkowski and Laurent Pelly, and seasoned French opéra-bouffe singers.
Cast
Marc Minkowski | direction
Laurent Pelly | staging and costumes
Agathe Mélinand | dialogue adaptation
Chantal Thomas | scenography
Michel Le Borgne | lights
Jean-Jacques Delmotte | costumes collaboration
Marina Viotti* / Antoinette Dennefeld** | La Périchole
Stanislas de Barbeyrac | Piquillo
Laurent Naouri** / Alexandre Duhamel* | Don Andrès de Ribeira
Rodolphe Briand | The Count Miguel de Panatellas
Lionel Lhote | Don Pedro de Hinoyosa
Chloé Briot | Guadalena / Manuelita
Alix Le Saux | Berginella / Ninetta
Eléonore Pancrazi | Mastrilla / Brambilla
Natalie Pérez | Frasquinella
* 14, 20, 23, 24 & 27 November 2022 (Marianne Crebassa, expecting a happy event, is replaced by Marina Viotti)
** les 13, 15, 18, 19 & 26 November 2022
Les Musiciens du Louvre
Opéra National de Bordeaux Choir | direction Salvatore Caputo
Sung in French with French and English subtitles
To read
La Périchole, has its origins in the story of the life of the Peruvian actress and courtesan Camila Périchole, who was herself inspired by the historical figure Micaëla Villegas, known as “la perra chola” (literally the “mixed-race bitch”), an actress and also the mistress of the Viceroy of Peru, Don Manuel. Mérimée had already used her as his inspiration for his play Le Carrosse du Saint-Sacrement, and she became a street singer courtesy of Offenbach’s librettists. La Périchole, which is more “political” with its caricature of the upper echelons of power than La Vie parisienne, nevertheless exudes the immoral libertine spirit which made the musician so popular. As was the case with La Vie parisienne last winter, the French singers reunited here have already engaged with great flair with this repertoire which requires both musicality and theatricality. What better pairing than Marc Minkowski and Laurent Pelly to conduct and direct this opéra bouffe which delights in absurd situations. The conductor produced the first recording with historic instruments for the Palazzetto Bru Zane and Laurent Pelly has explored every facet of the musician with consummate skill (this is the fourteenth work by Offenbach which he has staged). How could we fail to succumb to its charms?
NOUVELLE PRODUCTION
Coproduction Théâtre des Champs-Elysées | Opéra Royal de Wallonie | Bühnen Bern | Opéra de Dijon | Opéra de Toulon | Palazzetto Bru Zane
Editions musicales Palazzetto Bru Zane – Centre de musique romantique française
Avec le soutien de Madame Aline Foriel-Destezet, mécène principale des opéras mis en scène au Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
Video
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