the following two works are very different. One is an ascent towards light, the other a dive in the night. The hero of The magic Flute are in quest of enlightenment, of knowledge; the characters of Manon get bogged down in sensuality, destruction. The first are saved, the second is damning. Created by a century of distance, to the masterpieces of Mozart (1791) and Massenet (1884), are among the most popular operas in the operatic repertoire. Parts mounted lifts, explored, or distorted, which have always inspired the directors.

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The heroes of “The magic Flute” are in quest of enlightenment, of knowledge; the characters of “Manon” get bogged down in sensuality, destruction.

The magic Flute Robert Carsen gives a reading sober which will delight fans of shows elegant. Timer, the setting of challenging, the most parisian of directors canadian offers a vision where beauty is often not on the depth. We’ve known Carsen more inspired, more flaming, but its Flute fills her office with efficiency. And then the testament operatic of Mozart has been so often abused by productions chaotic that it is happy to find this show ecumenical, which can take the uninitiated learn about the art of lyric without fear of rebuff. The distribution of met for this recovery spring also allows you to regain a younger generation of French singers. The Tamino of Julien Behr will respond to the Pamina of Vannina Santoni; the Papagena of Chloé Briot enjôlera the Papageno of Florian Sempey. Finally the pyrotechnies of the Queen of the night will be performed by the brilliant soprano belgian Jodie Devos. A Flute joyously juvenile!

” READ ALSO – Opera: Manon massacred at the Bastille

Asphalt and rain

We are in doubt, the Manon of Massenet reviewed by Olivier Py production (which happens to us all rights of Bordeaux) plunges us into depths otherwise abyssal. Obsessed with light and shadow, the great designer is moving away from the Eighteenth century, and transposes the work into an urban universe, prostitution, asphalt and rain. The heroine of the abbé Prévost, who inspired so often the composers, found in the great Julius incarnation of the sensual and disorder which, in fact, one of the major roles of the great sopranos. Renée Fleming and Natalie Dessay sang Bastille. On the stage of the Opéra-Comique (where the work was created), it is the turn of Patricia Petibon give a incarnation that we can guess already moving, on the razor’s edge, because the singer is also a remarkable actress. The rest of a distribution largely French-speaking (the Chevalier Des Grieux, Frédéric Antoun, Lescaut Jean-Sébastien Bou) will be placed under the wand of a careful and greedy of Marc Minkowski, a lover ardent and staunch supporter of this directory.

“The magic Flute” at the Opéra Bastille. Place de la Bastille (XIIe). Tel.: 08 92 89 90 90. Date: 27 apr. at 15 June, at 19: 30. Seats: from 15 to 195 €.

“Manon” at the Opéra-Comique. 1, place Boieldieu (IIe). Tel.: 0 825 01 01 23. Dates: 7 to 21 may, 20 h.-Seat: from 6 to 138 € .