Unique Opéra de Massy
Incongruous moments, unusual actions, uncommon situations... The show must go on !
What on Earth is the Music Director Doing?
Performing! Let's go back to December 2013, when Purcell's King Arthur was being performed at the Opéra de Massy. The Le Concert Spirituel orchestra is in the pit. Meanwhile, Hervé Niquet, their director, is getting changed. And for a good reason: in a kilt and long socks, alongside Corinne and Gilles Benizio (Shirley and Dino), he sings a song and puts on a real show. The room is full, the public are in hysterics.
Purists beware: Hervé Niquet was not done, and recycled his act a few years later during Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse.
A Halloween Production…
This is not a haunted house. Nor is it a still from Games of Thrones … This severed head on a plate is in fact a prop from Othello! In the story, the hero returns home, victorious from war, brandishing the head of one of his enemies above the crowd that has gathered to hail his exploits.
Otello, staging by Nadine Duffaut, 2015 (2015/2016) by Giuseppe Verdi and Nadine DuffautOpéra de Massy
Behind the scenes, between two performances, can you imagine the surprise of visitors discovering said head neatly stored in its basket and enthroned among the swords?
Make the Best of a Bad Situation.
The Opéra de Massy has three curtains, one of which is a safety curtain to act as a firewall in case of fire. In 1992, for its preseason, the Opéra de Massy had the pleasure of welcoming the mime artist Marcel Marceau as a guest performer. The day of the show, whilst he was still in the dressing room, technicians tried to raise the safety curtain, in vain. They discovered a crank system up in the fly loft but since the curtain was so heavy, it rose extremely slowly. Marcel Marceau was warned, and the mime artist decided to improvise a show around the difficulty of raising the safety curtain. The lucky audience that night witnessed an hour of brand new material.
His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco
Do you recognize him? The Monegascan head of state holds the titles of Marquis of Chilly, Duke of Mazarin, Count of Longjumeau, and Baron of Massy! These titles obtained as a result of successions and weddings still link the Principality of Monaco to these three towns in Essonne. On the occasion of his visit to Massy in June 2018, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II opened the teaching space at the Opéra de Massy.
"Fashion May Go out of Style, but Style Never Goes out of Fashion"
Since 2007, the opera house has hosted a fashion show by the Gustave Eiffel vocational high school in Massy, every two years. Students studying all different subjects at the school are involved in the project. From the clothes to the creation of sets, the soundtrack, makeup, and even choreography, everything is done by the students with support from performing arts professionals.
Patachtouille
The Opéra de Massy strongly believes in fighting against anti-LGBT prejudice and hate. In their show entitled Féminin-masculin, le mélange des genres à l’opéra (Feminine-masculine, blending gender in opera), drag artist Julien Fanthou made an acclaimed appearance as his character, Patachtouille.
François-René Duchable, an Exceptional Pianist
When François-René Duchable takes the stage, it is sure to be a special night. After many years working as a concert artist, he began to use music in radically different ways. "From now on, I forbid myself from playing on any traditional stage whatsoever, except in very special cases and unusual ways: tributes, birthdays, etc."
In 2016, he shared the stage with the Opéra de Massy Orchestra and the Julien Lestel company for a double program dedicated to Rachmaninov and Ravel's Boléro. His music serves a greater, more beautiful purpose. Magic.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind !
Theater shows can be full of surprises. These include never knowing who may be around the corner backstage.
Mr. Muscles
Who would imagine that the French fitness championships would be held at the Opéra de Massy? Since 2017, the opera house has held an unmissable event for bodybuilders !
If You Don't Come to the Opera, the Opera will Come to You!
The Opera Bus has passed through the cities of Massy, Longjumeau, and Les Ulis for many years. Singers, musicians, the public: everyone is invited to attend the show by bus, and a great atmosphere is guaranteed.
With varied programs, the bus travels as close to the public as possible (market, town square, train station), allowing the public to get as close as possible to the artists and discover opera in a fun way.
Virtual exhibition created and written by Eugénie Boivin for the Opéra de Massy.
Thank you to our performers for bringing such unique moments to life.
Thanks also go to all the photographers (Massy Photo Club and others) for being there at the right moment. They capture those little extras for us that make all the difference and remind us why opera is all about the live performance.
