Operatic Works across the Seasons in Lille
For the past 15 years, the Lille Opera has commissioned new productions and contemporary stagings of repertory operas every season. For the past 15 years, the Lille Opera has commissioned new productions and contemporary stagings of repertory operas every season.
From Baroque to new creations
From one season to the next, the project attracts large audiences drawn by its original and daring program. Each year, operas from all areas of the repertoire, from Baroque to new creations, are performed onstage at the Lille Opera.
Madame Butterfly, by Puccini
Madame Butterfly tells the story of a young geisha who marries an American officer, Pinkerton, before eventually being abandoned by him. Three years later, after Butterfly has given birth to their son and inexorably awaits her husband's return, Pinkerton comes back to Japan with his new American wife. Butterfly, devastated by this betrayal, takes her own life by committing the ritual of jigai with a dagger.
Madama Butterfly, Puccini (2004-03) by Pascal Verrot and Jean-François SivadierOpéra de Lille
Bristling with emotion!
The production has a pared down esthetic and allows viewers to totally immerse themselves in one of Puccini's key themes: absolute love. The producer, Jean-François Sivadier, created a dream-like set for this opera as a way to put the focus firmly on the emotions that transcend the work.
Nabucco, by Verdi
Nabucco is a historical saga alluding to the biblical episode in which the Temple of Jerusalem is destroyed and the Israelites are enslaved in Babylon: It features conflict, family histories, and love stories. In the conflict between the Israelites and the Babylonians, there is a wealth of scenes, from the interiors of Solomon's Temple and Nabucco's palace to the famous hanging gardens.
Nabucco, Verdi (2018-06) by Roberto Rizzi Brignoli and Marie-Eve SigneyroleOpéra de Lille
A changing set
Producer Marie-Eve Signeyrole and her set designer Fabien Teigné came up with a modular set, which gradually transforms during the course of the performance, following the developments and eventual fates of the characters.
Trois Contes, by Pesson
Created at the Lille Opera in March 2019, Trois Contes is a unique opera that combines three stories into a single performance: The Princess and the Pea, by Hans Christian Andersen; the story of Proust's Overcoat; and lastly, The Devil in the Belfry, by Edgar Allan Poe.
Trois Contes, Pesson (2019-03) by Georges-Elie Octors and David LescotOpéra de Lille
A deep dive into the world of storytelling
Composer Gérard Pesson and librettist/producer David Lescot collaborated to create this opera in which the production and monumental set are used to enhance the strange nature of each story and establish links between them.
The Magic Flute, by Mozart
Created in 1791, while the tremors of the French Revolution were being felt all over Europe, the opera tells the story of the trials endured by a young prince, Tamino, in his search for the princess Pamina. The young woman has been snatched from her mother, the Queen of the Night, by Sarastro, a dictatorial tyrant and high priest of a new civilization, which he wants to impose on everyone.
The Magic Flute, Mozart (2019-04/2019-05) by Eivind Gullberg Jensen and Romeo CastellucciOpéra de Lille
A set marked by high contrast and symmetry
Romeo Castellucci gets under the skin of Mozart's masterpiece, examining its context and powerful symbols by particularly highlighting the perspective of the Queen of the Night. The opposition between light and night pervades every aspect of this show, with the florid and contrived first act giving way to a more neutral, humanist set.
The Indian Queen, by Purcell
A heroic drama and semi-opera composed in the 17th century, The Indian Queen describes a Latin America imagined in England and a fictional war between two sides: the Incas and the Mexicans. On a backdrop of political and romantic rivalry, the work tackles themes like loyalty, usurpation of power, and love.
The Indian Queen, Purcell (2019-10) by Emmanuelle Haïm and Guy CassiersOpéra de Lille
Two perspectives on a single story
The producer, Guy Cassiers, decided to have the story play out both onstage and on giant moving screens, as a way to present two perspectives (and more besides) on the dramatic and exotic story of The Indian Queen.
