DARE TO HOPE 19—20

LES HUGUENOTS

26 February – 8 March 2020 PRESSKIT LES HUGUENOTS

Avec le soutien de CERCLE DU GRAND THÉÂTRE MONSIEUR ET MADAME GUY ET FRANÇOISE DEMOLE 19—20

Sommaire

PRESS RELEASE 3

PRESENTATION 5

CONTACTS 6

1 LES HUGUENOTS

LES HUGUENOTS Grand opéra de Giacomo Meyerbeer Livret d’Eugène Scribe et Émile Deschamps Créé à Paris en 1836 Dernière fois au Grand Théâtre de Genève en 1927

En coproduction avec le Nationaltheater Mannheim

Conductor Marc Minkowski Stage Director & Dramaturgy Jossi Wieler & Sergio Morabito Scenographer Anna Viebrock Lighting Designer Martin Gebhardt Choreographer Altea Garrido Choir director Alan Woodbridge

Marguerite de Valois Ana Durlovski 1 Raoul de Nangis John Osborn · Mert Süngü Marcel Michele Pertusi Urbain Lea Desandre Le Comte de Saint-Bris Laurent Alvaro Valentine de Saint-Bris Rachel Willis-Sørensen Le Comte de Nevers Alexandre Duhamel De Tavannes Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani De Cossé Florian Cafiero De Thoré / Maurevert Donald Thomson De Retz Tomislav Lavoie Méru Vincenzo Neri Archer Harry Draganov Une coryphée Iulia Preda Une dame d’honneur Céline Kot Bois-Rosé / Le valet Rémi Garin

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Chœur du Grand Théâtre de Genève

26 · 28 February — 18 h 1 March — 15 h 4 · 6 · 8 March — 18 h LES HUGUENOTS

Les Huguenots, an outstanding production on every count

The Grand Théâtre de Genève presents Les Huguenots by Giacomo Meyerbeer. This grand opera resonates in the City of Calvin, evoking a dark chapter of religious intolerance: the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, when almost 3,000 A GOLDEN VOICE AND A SILVER BATON Protestants were killed. This cinematographic production The powerful Rachel Willis-Sørensen, a regular companion of designed by Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito, with Marc Jonas Kaufmann, plays Valentine de Saint-Bris, while star tenor Minkowski as musical director, brings together an exceptional John Osborn sings Raoul de Nangis, with the famous bass-baritone array of singers, including John Osborn, Rachel Willis Michele Pertusi as Marcel, the promising and already experienced Sørensen, Ana Durlovski, Alexandre Duhamel, Michele Pertusi Lea Desandre as Urbain, Alexandre Duhamel (“the best French and Lea Desandre. baritone of his generation”, Opera online) as Nevers and Ana Durlovski as Marguerite de Valois, among others: Les Huguenots For the first time since 1927, Les Huguenots is back at the Grand features a truly exceptional line-up. In the pit, the Orchestre de Théâtre, from 26 February to 8 March 2020, in a production that la Suisse Romande will be conducted by the master of the genre, evokes the golden age of the Hollywood studios and its great Marc Minkowski, marking his return to the Grand Théâtre after an historical epics, which were in some sense the grand opera of absence of almost 20 years. the 20th century. Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito, both leading figures in the operatic world, have reworked Meyerbeer’s grand From the four hours of stunning music, to 29 soloists and almost opera, with sets and costumes designed by the ‘grande dame’ of the as many extras, plus a monumental choir… Les Huguenots is an theatre, Anna Viebrock. It is also a chance for the audience to learn outstanding production on every count, performed on the largest about some significant historical characters, among them Queen stage in Switzerland. Margot, Catherine de Medici and Henri de Navarre.

LES HUGUENOTS AT THE BEACH The Papinot brothers (Calvinus) and the Grand Théâtre will be offering a ‘better beer’ as a tribute to the composer Meyerbeer. A special, artisanal, unfiltered blond beer, to enjoy at any time, whether you are at the opera or an arts event or not. Other activities at La Plage include an Apéropéra with Lea Desandre and Thomas Dunford on the theorbo for an evening of ancient music (27 February) and the third Duel event, in partnership with the Musée international de la Réforme, on the theme of “Can religion save the world?” Answer(s) on 5 March.

LES HUGUENOTS LES HUGUENOTS Presentation

THE OPERA After the success of Robert le Diable, the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer, or Jakob Meyer-Beer as he was originally called, came THE MUSIC up with the idea for a grand opera that would be one of the best Giacomo Meyerbeer grew up in a German-speaking environ- examples of the genre: Les Huguenots. Resonating with the “Prot- ment and then travelled to Italy before finally settling in Paris, estant Rome” that Geneva once was, the Grand Théâtre presents a where he would seek to blend European musical practices. He work that evokes a dark chapter in the history of religions, the St was an excellent orchestrator, who took full advantage of the Barthomolew’s Day Massacre. The background to the story is as tones of different instruments, including the bass clarinet, bas- follows: France is ruled by the Catholic Charles IX, son of Cath- soons and tubular bells in Les Huguenots. Wagner replicated erine de Medici. The queen mother wants to marry her daughter, some of his advances in music (in Parsifal for example). For Marguerite de Valois, to the Protestant Henri de Navarre. In a cli- an unusual work such as Les Huguenots the score calls for a mate of religious conflict, this is a political opportunity. Unfortu- particular instrument: a viola d’amore. The Grand Théâtre is nately, the attempted assassination of the powerful Protestant Ad- fortunate to have the support of the Musée d’art et d’histoire, miral Coligny brought things to a head and the night of 23 August which has exceptionally lent it an 18th century instrument 1572 saw the assassination of influential Huguenots and the killing designed by the maker Antonio Liciliano. of unnamed believers. Around 3,000 people died in all. Performed for the first time in 1834, in the Salle Le Peletier, Meyerbeer’s work is viewed as the prototype for French Written by the star of the time, Eugène Scribe, the libretto has grand opera, with a huge choir and a part for the ballet – to nonetheless been severely criticised for its improbabilities, cer- satisfy the influential Jockey Club – in a similar vein to an- tain absurdities and above all, its avoidance of the historical and other masterpiece: Faust by Gounod. political dimensions of the event. Set in 1572, the plot tells the love story between the Protestant nobleman Raoul de Nangis and Valentine, a Catholic, the daughter of the Comte de Saint-Bris and companion to the queen, Marguerite de Valois (wife of the THE PRODUCTION Protestant Henri de Navarre). In spite of the queen’s wish for true Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito have worked together with love and a sign of reconciliation, a series of misunderstandings Anna Viebrock on the costumes and sets to stage Les Hu- results in Valentine marrying the Catholic and intolerant Comte guenots in the world of cinema, between the Hollywood and de Nevers. Following the massacre of thousands of Huguenots on Cinecittà studios. The three worked together previously, in St Bartholomew’s Day, Raoul, who survives, rejects Valentine’s 2016-2017, on Norma, with Alexandra Deshorties in the title suggestion that he should wear a white ribbon, in recognition of role. Created jointly with the National Theater Mannheim, the Catholic faith. Saint Bris has them executed, only to realise this is a sober, multi-faceted production, with nods to both that he has killed his own daughter. the cinema and Protestantism. Some elements are therefore inspired directly by the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre in Geneva. On stage, the Protestant nobleman Raoul de Nangis is sung by John Osborn, who played Faust in Georges Lavaudant’s production at the Opéra des Nations. Rachel Willis-Sørensen will play the Catholic Valentine Saint-Bris. The faithful Marcel will be sung by Michele Pertusi and Queen Margot by the famous Ana Durlovski. In the pit, the well-known Marc Minkowski will conduct the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR).

5 INFORMATIONS PRATIQUES

CONTACTS PRESSE

SERVICE PRESSE ET Suisse et international France Allemagne RELATIONS PUBLIQUES Olivier Gurtner Opus 64 RW Medias Responsable presse Valérie Samuel, directrice Ruth Wischmann [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +41223225026 +33140267794 +49 89 3000 47 59

Isabelle Jornod Pablo Ruiz Assistante presse [email protected] [email protected] +33140267794 +41223225055

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