This month, discover two new episodes of the exclusive series Behind the scenes at the Opera, a replay of Aida (2025), and the opera Médée.

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New in March

Possibly mythology’s most unfathomable character: Medea, the sorceress, betrayed by her husband Jason, takes revenge by offering the latter’s lover a poisoned dress and then killing her own children. Such a destiny, so often portrayed in the arts, could not but be embodied at the Opera. In 1693, Marc-Antoine Charpentier premiered his only “tragédie lyrique”, based on a libretto by Thomas Corneille, at the Académie royale de Musique – forerunner of the Paris Opera – in the presence of Louis XIV. Three centuries after its creation, this baroque score of great orchestral wealth returns for the first time to the stage of the Paris Opera, under the baton of William Christie. Renowned for his exceptionally articulate interpretations, director David McVicar transposes the action to the Second World War, thus reinforcing the heroine’s tragic character. Les Arts Florissants Choir and Orchestra

Medea: Princess of Colchis, sorceress Jason: Prince of Thessaly, Argonaut, father of Medea’s children Creusa: Princess of Corinth and Creon’s daughter whom Jason intends to marry Orontes: Prince of Argos to whom Creon has promised his daughter Creon: King of Corinth and Creusa’s father Nerina: Medea’s confidante Cleonis: Creusa’s confidante Arcas: Jason’s confidant

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Médée

23-24

Possibly mythology’s most unfathomable character: Medea, the sorceress, betrayed by her husband Jason, takes revenge by offering the latter’s lover a poisoned dress and then killing her own children. Such a destiny, so often portrayed in the arts, co

Marc-Antoine Charpentier

How to choose between love for an enemy general and love for one’s homeland? Such is the dilemma faced by Aida, an Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt, who also has to contend with the rivalry of Amneris, the Pharaoh’s daughter, who loves the same man as her, Radames. Yet it is proud Amneris who begs the priests to pardon Radames after he unwittingly betrays a military secret. In this work, first performed in 1871 at the Cairo Opera, Giuseppe Verdi alternates epic scenes such as the famous triumphal march with more intimate arias such as “Celeste Aida”. While the context of the work’s creation owes much to the Egyptomania in vogue in the 19th century, the themes of Aida are as timeless as they are universal. This is reflected in the staging by Iranian visual artist Shirin Neshat, who, making her Paris Opera debut, emphasises the cruelty of religious fanaticism, so swift to oppress women.Live: First part 95 min / Intermission 30 min / Second part 75 minProduction created at the Salzburg Festival, revived in co-production with the Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Aida: Ethiopian slave, in reality the King of Ethiopia’s daughter Radamès: Captain of the Egyptian army, in love with Aida Amneris: Daughter of the King of Egypt Amonasro: King of Ethiopia and father of Aida Ramfis: Egyptian high priest The King: King of Egypt

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Aida

25-26

How to choose between love for an enemy general and love for one’s homeland? Such is the dilemma faced by Aida, an Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt, who also has to contend with the rivalry of Amneris, the Pharaoh’s daughter, who loves the same m

Giuseppe Verdi

Willy is a tailor at Bastille, teaching his intern Julius how to sew a jacket.Today, Laure is away from the Opera, teaching millinery at a high school—she will select her future interns from among her students. Meanwhile, Luis, a baritone from the academy, is in the middle of a rehearsal in the amphitheater.At Garnier, Marion conducts the final fittings for the costumes of her show, while the “Tous à l’Opéra” event allows the general public to discover the palace’s behind-the-scenes areas. Luis is getting ready—tonight he will perform on the grand stage of the Opéra Garnier in LES BRIGANDS. Director: Jean-Luc PerréardThis documentary is supported by Lexus, Official Car of the Paris National Opera, the Orange Foundation, patron of the Opera’s audiovisual broadcasts, and the POP Circle, patron of the Paris National Opera’s audiovisual and digital projects.

Dans les couloirs de l'Opéra - 3/7

Behind the Scenes of the Opera

Behind the Scenes of the Opera - 3/7

Willy is a tailor at Bastille, teaching his intern Julius how to sew a jacket. Today, Laure is away from the Opera, teaching millinery at a high school—she will select her future interns from among her students. Meanwhile, Luis, a baritone from the a

Episode 3 – We Do Things So They Play…

[Press Preview] Behind the scenes at the Opera 3/7

Elisa gets lost in the corridors of Bastille—it’s her first day as an intern with Laure in the millinery workshop. Gregory, the ballet master, begins working on Hofesh Shechter’s new contemporary creation, RED CARPET.On level -6, we find Michel, who takes care of the floor where sets are assembled before being brought up to the stage. In the workshops, Jean-Philippe, who designs the technical plans for the sets, goes to check that everything is running smoothly in the sculpture workshop.Meanwhile, on stage, Coline, the stage manager, is preparing for the performance of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE. Director: Jean-Luc PerréardThis documentary is supported by Lexus, Official Car of the Paris National Opera, the Orange Foundation, patron of the Opera’s audiovisual broadcasts, and the POP Circle, patron of the Paris National Opera’s audiovisual and digital projects.

Dans les couloirs de l'Opéra - 4/7

Behind the Scenes of the Opera - 4/7

Elisa gets lost in the corridors of Bastille—it’s her first day as an intern with Laure in the millinery workshop. Gregory, the ballet master, begins working on Hofesh Shechter’s new contemporary creation, RED CARPET. On level -6, we find Michel, who

Episode 4 – The Details Make the Difference

Behind the scenes at the Opera 4/7

New this month

What can video contribute to choreography? Can the camera itself become choreographic, making dance more visceral? These are some of the questions underlying Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple’s artistic research. In Empreintes, the two British choreographers make their Paris Opera debut with a creation exploring the links between video and dance, set to an original score by Mikael Karlsson, composer of Play. Spanish choreographer Marcos Morau is also sensitive to the arts’ interdisciplinary dimension, often using a language that combines movement and image. His new work, Étude, explores the relationship between darkness and light, the light that allows us to imagine and create, despite doubts and shadows.

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Empreintes - 1

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Impressions, from 11 to 28 March 2026 at the Opéra Bastille

What can video contribute to choreography? Can the camera itself become choreographic, making dance more visceral? These are some of the questions underlying Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple’s artistic research.In Empreintes, the two British

Morgann Runacre-Temple, Jessica‎ Wright / Marcos Morau

Impressions

Guided by a strange voice under the flickering light of a flush-fitting ceiling lamp, two men observe one another and then confront each other. This duo soon becomes a crowd, a swell, which comes alive to the rhythm of Chopin’s preludes. Crystal Pite’s second creation for the Paris Opera Ballet, Body and Soul serves up waves of words and gestures which form the material for a secret narrative. Through the movement of the dancers, the words of a woman never cease to manifest themselves, like a duet between body and soul. Exploring the theme of mourning and bereavement, the Canadian choreographer presents the conflicting urges and impulses that challenge the unity of each of us. In a mysterious twilight awash with sound effects, this dramatically powerful three-act ballet progresses, not without humour, towards an exuberant and stimulating finale.  Les Étoiles, les Premiers Danseurs et le Corps de Ballet de l’OpéraWith the participation of France Télévisions, the support of the ORANGE Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animée. A co-production of the Opéra national de Paris and La Belle TéléDirector: Tommy PascalOpéra national de Paris - La Belle Télé - 2020 Visuals © Julien Benhamou / OnP

Body and Soul

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Guided by a strange voice under the flickering light of a flush-fitting ceiling lamp, two men observe one another and then confront each other. This duo soon becomes a crowd, a swell, which comes alive to the rhythm of Chopin’s preludes. Crystal Pite

Crystal Pite

Four contemporary choreographers come together for a programme that leads the Opera’s dancers to a new form of modernity where bodies vibrate with intensity.To open the evening, James Thierrée takes over the public areas of the Palais Garnier and introduces us to his dream-like world. Canada’s Crystal Pite returns with The Seasons’ Canon, a dazzling creation that thrilled audiences at the Palais Garnier last season. Spain’s Iván Pérez occupies the stage of the Opera for the first time with a creation for ten male dancers. To conclude the evening, Israel’s Hofesh Shechter, often lauded for his telluric, trance-evoking dances, offers a new version of his piece The Art of Not Looking Back.

 Les Étoiles, les Premiers Danseurs et le Corps de Ballet

A co-production of the Paris Opera, BEL AIR MEDIA and ARTE France With the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animéeDirectors: Cédric Klapisch, Miguel Octave © Opéra national de Paris – Bel Air Media / France 2018Picture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP

Soirée Thierrée / Shechter / Pérez / Pite

Soirée Thierrée / Shechter / Pérez / Pite_trailer

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Performance of The Seasons' Canon by Noureyev at the Palais Garnier, from 23 September to 12 October 2023

Four contemporary choreographers come together for a programme that leads the Opera’s dancers to a new form of modernity where bodies vibrate with intensity. To open the evening, James Thierrée takes over the public areas of the Palais Garnier and in

Crystal Pite / James Thierrée / Hofesh Shechter / Iván Pérez

The Seasons' Canon / Frôlons / The Art of Not Looking Back / The Male Dancer

Firmly entrenching the Paris Opera Ballet in today's multifaceted world, Aurélie Dupont, Director of Dance, has invited during season 20/21 four contemporary choreographers to the Palais Garnier. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, the two Belgian choreographers who created Boléro in 2013, return to the House, each presenting a new work, the former to music by Woodkid, the latter to a score by Koki Nakano. Twenty-three-year-old American choreographer Tess Voelker who has been working at the Nederlands Dans Theater since 2017, is proposing a first piece for our Company to the rhythms of a song by Nick Drake. Finally, French choreographer and stage director Mehdi Kerkouche, accompanied by musician Guillaume Alric, transports the audience into his hip-hop world. A coproduction Opéra national de Paris - Act4 Productions - Le Grizzly - 2020 Direction: Louise Narboni

Brise-lames de Damien Jalet (saison 20/21)

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Exposure de Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui en répétition (saison 20/21)

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Contemporary choreographers: Creating today

Firmly entrenching the Paris Opera Ballet in today's multifaceted world, Aurélie Dupont, Director of Dance, has invited during season 20/21 four contemporary choreographers to the Palais Garnier.Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, the two Belgian 

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Tess Voelker, Damien Jalet, Mehdi Kerkouche

Created in 1997 for the Paris Opera Ballet, this work was born out of the painter Olivier Debré’s desire to paint a series of abstract tableaux: evocations of that primordial sign, the smile. Taking these flamboyant painted scenes as her starting point, representing different places in the world like so many different emotional states and humours, the choreographer Carolyn Carlson sets her dancers in motion to an original score by René Aubry and gives life to a dreamlike piece.A ballet that has since become a cult work in the Paris Opera repertoire, Signes embodies the links between painting, music and dance and extends them to the stage.The Étoiles, the Premières Danseuses, the Premiers Danseurs and the Paris Opera Corps de BalletWith the support of the Orange Foundation, sponsor of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts.© Opéra national de Paris - 2023 Picture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP

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Signes

Created in 1997 for the Paris Opera Ballet, this work was born out of the painter Olivier Debré’s desire to paint a series of abstract tableaux: evocations of that primordial sign, the smile. Taking these flamboyant painted scenes as her starting poi

Carolyn Carlson

This triptych spans ten years of creation (from 1986 to 1995) and bears witness to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s remarkable dialogues with the great scores of classical music. The term “dialogue” is undoubtedly too tame to describe this almost physical confrontation between two arts.De Keersmaeker addresses music using all the nuances of passion: need, defiance, oneupmanship… The key notion is polyphony. The irresistible energy that sets free these fluid, nervous bodies – at times openly insolent, at others exhausted as if conquered by the musics – is essentially that of “dizzying counterpoint”.Additional voices continually emerge; new connections or unexpected combinations multiplying the curves of a spiral of movements in which the audience joyfully loses all sense of direction.De Keersmaeker's work on Bartók’s Quartet N°4 displays her initial style: a combination of short motifs, danced with dry humour by a quartet of adolescent girls.The virtuoso choreography to Beethoven’s Die Grosse Fuge, which this time is highly masculine and based on a falling motif, allows us to appreciate the development of the choreographer’s compositional technique.The third section, Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), dedicated to the young Schönberg, finally reveals her most intimate side: the evening ends in heartrending abandon, with the almost narrative evocation of a couple transfigured by the gift of love –, portrayed in dance suffused with a passion for music.Sharing the same musical intensity, these three ballets form a poetic and mysterious ensemble.<div> A co-production of Idéale Audience, Opéra national de Paris and ARTE France With the participation of Mezzo and the ERR, with the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the Centre national de la cinématographie et de l'image animée.Director: Louise Narboni © Opéra national de Paris – ARTE France - Idéale Audience - 2015Picture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP</div>

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker_trailer

This triptych spans ten years of creation (from 1986 to 1995) and bears witness to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s remarkable dialogues with the great scores of classical music. The term “dialogue” is undoubtedly too tame to describe this almost physica

Quatuor n°4, Die grosse Fuge, Verklärte Nacht

When Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker worked on Violin Phase in New York in 1980, one piece of music alone besides Steve Reich’s was played in the studio: Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Thirty‑five years later, the choreographer continues her work with these pieces.“For me, Bach’s music contains movement and dance like none other and succeeds in associating extreme abstraction with a concrete, physical and even transcendental dimension, perhaps for that very reason.”A regular guest at the Palais Garnier, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker has been invited back this season with her company, Rosas, to present a codified choreographic language that goes to the very heart of Bach’s music. Production: Rosas A coproduction Opéra national de Paris, Telmondis, Mezzo With the support of Le Centre national du Cinéma et de l'Image AniméeDirector: Louise Narboni © Opéra national de Paris - Telmondis - Mezzo - 2019

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Les six Concertos Brandebourgeois



When Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker worked on Violin Phase in New York in 1980, one piece of music alone besides Steve Reich’s was played in the studio: Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Thirty‑five years later, the choreographer continues her work with 

The Six Brandenburg Concertos

Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, a major figure of the choreographic stage, creates with Rain a piece of a rare intensity and pure refinement.The choreographer leads the dancers through the rhythmic pulsations of one of Steve Reich's main scores, Music for Eighteen Musicians, performed by the Ensemble Ictus.On stage, both music and dance drive the dancers into a perpetual momentum, a dizzying and jubilant race that seems to make life spring forth. The Étoiles, the Premières Danseuses, the Premiers Danseurs and the Paris Opera Corps de Ballet A co-production of the Paris Opera, Idéale Audience and ARTE France, with the participation of Mezzo and VRT With the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and with the assistance of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée.Director: Louise Narboni © 2014 – Opéra national de Paris - Idéale Audience – ARTE FrancePicture: © Agathe Poupeney / OnP

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Rain_trailer

Rain

Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, a major figure of the choreographic stage, creates with Rain a piece of a rare intensity and pure refinement. The choreographer leads the dancers through the rhythmic pulsations of one of Steve Reich's main scores, Music f

Created in 2004 by Trisha Brown, an emblematic figure of New-York avant-garde, O złozony / O composite was a milestone in the “Postmodern Dance” era at the Paris Opera, a major step for both the performers and the choreographer who intensely questioned theatrical conventions.“The body is the place where any dream can come true”: in this piece, Trisha Brown explores an experimental work where poetry is put in motion and dance is weaved and intertwined along the verses of poets Czeslaw Milosz and Edna St. Vincent Millay.Working in cycles, she unveils here an attempt to combine classical and postmodern dance languages, echoed by Laurie Anderson’s music that embellishes the Polish sonorities of the text, and danced under a sky full of stars designed by Vija Celmins. A co-production of Opéra de Paris production and Souffleurs de vert With the support of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, the participation of France Télévisions, the support of the American Friends of the Paris Opera & Ballet and the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcastsDirector: François Goetghebeur © 2013 - Opéra national de Paris production – Souffleurs de vertPicture: © Anne Deniau / OnP

O złozony / O composite 

O złozony / O composite_trailer

O złozony / O composite

Created in 2004 by Trisha Brown, an emblematic figure of New-York avant-garde, O złozony / O composite was a milestone in the “Postmodern Dance” era at the Paris Opera, a major step for both the performers and the choreographer who intensely question

Trisha Brown

With a modern and figurative stage set, intertwining Sibelius' Violin Concerto with a musical creation by Celeste Oram, Pit takes the audience into a sensual, tribal and dramatic universe.Both trained at the Batsheva Dance Company under Ohad Naharin, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber present Pit, their first creation for the Paris Opera Ballet.Born in Iowa, Bobbi Jene Smith joined Batsheva in 2005. In 2014, she embarked on a career as a choreographer, creating works for the Martha Graham Dance Company, the L.A. Dance Project and the Royal Danish Ballet. Born in Israel, Or Schraiber joined Naharin’s Company in 2010. He has directed, choreographed and acted in several short films.Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber share a strong attraction to the world of cinema, and they starred and danced in Aviva in 2020. The Paris Opera Corps de Ballet and the Paris Opera OrchestraDirector: Tommy Pascal © Opéra national de Paris

PIT2223_YKellerman_0316_GEN.1759_PIT_Bobbi Jene Smith Or Schraiber (c) Yonathan Kellerman OnP

With a modern and figurative stage set, intertwining Sibelius' Violin Concerto with a musical creation by Celeste Oram, Pit takes the audience into a sensual, tribal and dramatic universe. Both trained at the Batsheva Dance Company under Ohad Naharin

Bobbi Jene Smith, Or Schraiber

Women choreographers

In February 1972, the American president Richard Nixon went to China to meet Mao Zedong. In the context of the war in Vietnam and the cold war, this encounter marked a turning point in Chinese‑ American relations. John Adams, a major musical figure of the last forty years, made this event of contemporary history the subject of his first opera.Nixon in China tackles the political thaw instigated by ping-pong diplomacy, begun by the invitation of the American table tennis players by their Chinese counterparts, one year before the presidential visit. A mesmerising work in which the pulsations and repetitions typical of minimalism are combined with melodic lines of great lyricism.For its entry into the Paris Opera repertoire, this work has been entrusted to the director Valentina Carrasco, who underlines the importance and the mediating power of Chinese national sport in history. The Paris Opera Orchestra and ChorusWith the support of the Orange Foundation, sponsor of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts.© Opéra national de Paris - 2023 Picture: © Everett Collection / Bridgeman Images

Richard Nixon: President of the United States Mao Tse-tung: Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Pat Nixon: First Lady of the United States Chiang Ch’ing: Mao’s wife Henry Kissinger: US National Security Advisor Chou En-lai: Chinese Prime Minister

Nixon in China 22-23 

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Nixon in China

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Nixon in China from 24 February to 20 March 2026 at the Opera Bastille

In February 1972, the American president Richard Nixon went to China to meet Mao Zedong. In the context of the war in Vietnam and the cold war, this encounter marked a turning point in Chinese‑ American relations. John Adams, a major musical figure o

John Adams

Diggi, daggi, shurry, murry, horum, harum…: with this magical spell, young shepherd Bastien will have the power to win back the heart of his beloved shepherdess Bastienne. Mozart composed this short Singspiel at the age of 12. In a stage production by Mirabelle Ordinaire, the action is reframed in a modern funfair where fairgoers come at shooting ranges to shoot cardboard wolves. The fickle Bastien has become the machinist in charge of the stands's maintenance and the twelve musicians play in the bandstand. Performed in its French version, faithful to Mozart’s sensibility, the opera has been adapted to be easily understandable to every audience.From 6 years old.Visuel © Elena Bauer / OnP

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Bastien et Bastienne

26-27

Diggi, daggi, shurry, murry, horum, harum…: with this magical spell, young shepherd Bastien will have the power to win back the heart of his beloved shepherdess Bastienne. Mozart composed this short Singspiel at the age of 12. In a stage production b

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Bastien und Bastienne

The hunter Actaeon surprises the goddess Diana at the river: she transforms him into a stag and turns his own dogs against him.Composer Emmanuelle Da Costa transforms this myth into a choral piece for forty young singers from the Maîtrise de Radio France.In a forest where sticks become guns and deer antlers, Victoria Sitjà stages children who are caught up in their own game. A production of the Paris Opera With the support of the Orange Foundation, Sponsor of the Paris Opera's audiovisual broadcasts, and the POP Circle © Opéra national de Paris - 2025

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Discover the young audiences programme

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The hunter Actaeon surprises the goddess Diana at the river: she transforms him into a stag and turns his own dogs against him. Composer Emmanuelle Da Costa transforms this myth into a choral piece for forty young singers from the Maîtrise de Radio F

Emmanuelle Da Costa

Step behind the scenes of an opera like no other.
The young voices of the Maîtrise de Radio France take on a challenge: bringing Actéon, a baroque masterpiece by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, to life under the direction of the Paris Opera Academy.
This documentary follows the artistic and human journey of this unique production, from the first rehearsals to the final performance. Through the curious, focused, and awe-struck eyes of the young singers, viewers discover the rigor, passion, and magic of opera.
Blending educational workshops, encounters with artists, and an exploration of the baroque world, this film speaks to children, teenagers, and adults alike—anyone eager to understand how opera can become a collective, vibrant, and accessible adventure.
A musical journey where youth breathe new life into an ancient masterpiece—with modernity, energy, and emotion.

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Behind the scenes of Actéon

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Step behind the scenes of an opera like no other. 
The young voices of the Maîtrise de Radio France take on a challenge: bringing Actéon, a baroque masterpiece by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, to life under the direction of the Paris Opera Academy. 
Th

the documentary about the production

Behind the comic plot of La Finta giardiniera lies a subtle portrait of human passions. Sandrina, a Marchioness disguised as a gardener, is seeking to escape her tumultuous past: she was stabbed by her lover, Count Belfiore, and left for dead. Reunited in the local judge’s mansion, the former lovers find themselves embroiled in a series of quiproquos and disguises, before everything is unravelled in a happy reconciliation. In 1775, aged just eighteen, Mozart composed La Finta giardiniera for the Munich Carnival. The young composer skilfully blends recitative, arias and ensembles, already revealing the humour and humanity that would characterise his future masterpieces. This opera is performed by the Paris Opera Academy’s artists in residence in Julie Delille’s new staging.

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La Finta giardiniera, on stage from 24 March to 1st April 2026 at the MC93 Bobigny

Behind the comic plot of La Finta giardiniera lies a subtle portrait of human passions.Sandrina, a Marchioness disguised as a gardener, is seeking to escape her tumultuous past: she was stabbed by her lover, Count Belfiore, and left for dead. Reunite

La Finta Giardiniera

What is Gandhi’s influence on the contemporary political world? This is the question explored by Philip Glass’s opera Satyagraha (1980), the second in his trilogy devoted to historical figures, alongside Einstein on the Beach (1976) and Akhnaten (1984). But Satyagraha – Sanskrit for “truth force” – is not a biopic.This work, with its mesmerising music, interweaves timelines, relating each of its three acts to a key figure linked to Gandhi in order to better understand the genesis of his political thought: Leo Tolstoy, with whom he corresponded; the poet Rabindranath Tagore, who supported him; and Martin Luther King, who was inspired by his principles of non-violence.Satyagraha is entering the Paris Opera repertoire directed by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, who have already created the dance piece Pit. For them, this opera “is not simply a meditation on history, but a call to action and a forceful lesson that rings ever more true today.”

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What is Gandhi’s influence on the contemporary political world? This is the question explored by Philip Glass’s opera Satyagraha (1980), the second in his trilogy devoted to historical figures, alongside Einstein on the Beach (1976) and Akhnaten (198

Philip Glass

Jules Massenet no doubt sought to enchant his era when he set Charles Perrault’s fairytale to music. With Cendrillon, the composer offers us one of his most attractive works, quite unlike other operatic adaptations of the tale. The mischievous Lucette and the women around her give the work a tone whose myriad nuances confirm the words of Claude Debussy who saw Massenet as “the musical historian of the female soul”. By gracing the fairy with an unreal coloratura timbre and having the role of the prince sung by a soprano, the composer offers us a vocal festival carried along by a richly varied orchestration alternating between Mozartian finesse, baroque-style citations and grand romantic overtones. To mark the addition of Cendrillon to the Paris Opera’s repertoire, Mariame Clément plays on the myth’s fantasy side, reflecting on the characters’ inner selves whilst setting them free from their tight suits and court shoes. Orchestre et Choeurs de l’Opéra national de Paris Directed by François RoussillonA coproduction by Opéra national de Paris, François Roussillon et Associés with the participation of France Télévisions With the support of La Fondation Orange, patron of Opéra national de Paris audiovisual retransmissions, Cercle audiovisuel et numérique, Cercle Berlioz and with the assistance of Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animéeOpéra national de Paris - François Roussillon et Associés - 2022Visual: © Monika Rittershaus / OnP

Cendrillon (Lucette): Pandolfe’s daughter and Madame de La Haltière’s stepdaughter Madame de La Haltière: Cendrillon’s stepmother Mother to Noémie and Dorothée Le Prince Charmant La Fée: Cendrillon’s godmother Noémie: Cendrillon’s stepsister Dorothée: Cendrillon’s stepsister Pandolfe: Cendrillon’s father, a widower and now married to Madame de La Haltière Le Roi

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Cendrillon by Jules Massenet

 Jules Massenet no doubt sought to enchant his era when he set Charles Perrault’s fairytale to music. With Cendrillon, the composer offers us one of his most attractive works, quite unlike other operatic adaptations of the tale. The mischievous Lucet

Jules Massenet

Cendrillon

In 1890, Engelbert Humperdinck’s sister Adelheid Wette asked him to compose the music for a children’s performance based on a tale by the Grimm brothers (Jacob, 1785-1863 and Wilhelm, 1786-1859) which she hoped to organize for her husband’s birthday.The project quickly evolved and gave rise to the definitive libretto of the Märchenoper which was completed in december 1890. Compared to the Grimm tale, Adelheid Wette’s libretto was greatly simplified for reasons of dramatic effectiveness, but also to limit the length and even violence of the original.The work was enriched with children’s songs and popular melodies evoking brahms‘ Volkslieder. Strongly influenced by Wagner, the composer drew inspiration from continuous melody and the notion of the leitmotiv with the use of recurrent themes.The work was an immediate success. Within months, Hänsel und Gretel had made a name for itself on stages throughout Germany. Gustav Mahler conducted the work in Hamburg in 1894. Hänsel und Gretel would become the first opera to be rebroadcast by radio in Europe (from Covent Garden on January 6th, 1923). Director: Andy Sommer © Opéra de Paris Production – Bel Air Media – France 2013

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Hänsel und Gretel_trailer

Hänsel und Gretel

In 1890, Engelbert Humperdinck’s sister Adelheid Wette asked him to compose the music for a children’s performance based on a tale by the Grimm brothers (Jacob, 1785-1863 and Wilhelm, 1786-1859) which she hoped to organize for her husband’s birthday.

Engelbert Humperdinck

It’s no easy matter taming a vixen! The gamekeeper, who introduces one into his household, learns this the hard way, especially as the animal in question is particularly cunning, feminist and even revolutionary, calling on the hens in the barnyard to revolt against the cockerel and “forge a new world”! Alas, while freedom allows her to find love, the little vixen will pay a high price...Premiered in Brno in 1924, Leoš Janáček’s piece, with orchestration as lush as the nature it describes, is a score apart in the history of opera, where foxes, crickets and grasshoppers, dogs and woodpeckers are rarely the heroes of the story. A fairy tale fable, this Cunning Little Vixen an allegory of human life, a hymn celebrating the eternal renewal of life and nature. The Paris Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Atelier lyrique Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine / Paris Opera's Childen Choir Director: Don Kent © Idéale Audience - Opéra national de Paris -NHK - France 2008

Bystrouška: The little vixen The forester: The man who captured Bystrouška The forester’s wife Lapák: The forester’s dog The village schoolmaster The village priest Pásek: The innkeeper Mrs Pásková: The innkeeper’s wife Harašta: A poacher The fox: Bystrouška’s husband Farmyard and wild animals

La Petite Renarde 081 (c) Bernd Uhlig

The Cunning Little Vixen_trailer

La Petite Renarde029

The Cunning Little Vixen

It’s no easy matter taming a vixen! The gamekeeper, who introduces one into his household, learns this the hard way, especially as the animal in question is particularly cunning, feminist and even revolutionary, calling on the hens in the barnyard to

Leoš Janácek

Women opera directors

Enter a fleeting, ethereal world where dance becomes the language of the soul with the ballet Giselle. Discover the behind-the-scenes of the production through filmed rehearsals alongside the dancers of the Opéra Ballet.

The ultimate romantic ballet, Giselle marked the apogee of a new aesthetic that saw diaphanous tutus, white gauze, tulle and tarlatan take over the stage. The Willis bring the illusion of immateriality to this ghostly transfiguration of a tragedy.First performed at the Académie royale de Musique on June 28, 1841, the ballet travelled to Russia, then temporarily disappeared from the repertoire before finally returning to France in 1910. Today’s version by Patrice Bart and Eugene Polyakov – which closely follows Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot’s original choreography – continues to reaffirm the ballet’s early success.Bright, earthly scenes and spectral, nocturnal visions: dance becomes the language of the soul and the ballerina’s ethereal presence seems to defy gravity. <hr>The Étoiles, the Premiers Danseurs and the Paris Opera Corps de Ballet The Pasdeloup OrchestraA coproduction Opéra national de Paris, François Roussillon et Associés With the participation of France Télévisions and TF1, the support of the Orange Foundation, patron of the audiovisual retransmissions of the Opéra National de Paris and the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée.Director: François Roussillon © Opéra national de Paris – François Roussillon et Associés -2020Picture: © Svetlana Loboff / OnP

<ul><li>Giselle: A young peasant girl. She falls in love with Loys, who turns out to be Duke Albrecht. Consumed by madness, she dies of a broken heart at the end of Act I.</li><li>Albrecht: Duke of Silesia. Already betrothed to Princess Bathilde, he seduces Giselle during the harvest season.</li><li>Myrtha: Queen of the Wilis, spirits of young maidens who have died before their wedding day. At night, they lure men into a deadly dance.</li><li>Hilarion: The village gamekeeper who is in love with Giselle. He reveals Albrecht’s true identity then dies, punished by the Wilis.</li></ul>

Giselle

Giselle_trailer

Performance at the Palais Garnier, from 02 May to 01 June 2024

The ballet is decked out in its finest jewels with Les Néréides

Jewels in Ballet with Les Néréides

The ultimate romantic ballet, Giselle marked the apogee of a new aesthetic that saw diaphanous tutus, white gauze, tulle and tarlatan take over the stage. The Willis bring the illusion of immateriality to this ghostly transfiguration of a tragedy.  F

Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot

This series offers a glimpse into the rehearsals of iconic variations and pas de deux from the ballet Giselle, in preparation for its 2022 revival at the Palais Garnier.Part 1 (3 episodes) - Peasant pas de deux, featuring young dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet, Inès McIntosh and Nathan Bisson, guided by Sabrina Mallem, Ballet Mistress.Part 2 (5 episodes) - Pas de Deux from Act 2 with Corps de Ballet dancers Alice Catonnet and Axel Magliano, guided by 'Étoile' Dancer Stéphane Bullion. Part 3 (4 episodes) - Mad Scene: On the occasion of her farewell to the stage, 'Étoile' Dancer Alice Renavand prepares to portray Giselle for the first time, rehearsing this iconic passage with 'Étoile' Dancer Monique Loudières. © Opéra national de Paris - 2023

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Giselle, rehearsing with... Alice Renavand and Monique Loudières_trailer

Giselle, rehearsing with... Alice Renavand and Monique Loudières 2/4

This series offers a glimpse into the rehearsals of iconic variations and pas de deux from the ballet Giselle, in preparation for its 2022 revival at the Palais Garnier. Part 1 (3 episodes) - Peasant pas de deux, featuring young dancers from the Pari

Giselle's variation and Mad scene

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Giselle, rehearsing with... Alice Renavand and Monique Loudières 3/4

This series offers a glimpse into the rehearsals of iconic variations and pas de deux from the ballet Giselle, in preparation for its 2022 revival at the Palais Garnier.Part 1 (3 episodes) - Peasant pas de deux, featuring young dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet, Inès McIntosh and Nathan Bisson, guided by Sabrina Mallem, Ballet Mistress.Part 2 (5 episodes) - Pas de Deux from Act 2 with Corps de Ballet dancers Alice Catonnet and Axel Magliano, guided by 'Étoile' Dancer Stéphane Bullion. Part 3 (4 episodes) - Mad Scene: On the occasion of her farewell to the stage, 'Étoile' Dancer Alice Renavand prepares to portray Giselle for the first time, rehearsing this iconic passage with 'Étoile' Dancer Monique Loudières. © Opéra national de Paris - 2023

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Giselle, rehearsing with... Alice Renavand and Monique Loudières 4/4 

ODP_MASTERCLASS_GISELLE_ALICE RENAVAND_EP 01_V05.00_07_49_10.Still001

Giselle, rehearsing with... Alice Renavand and Monique Loudières 1/4 

This series offers a glimpse into the rehearsals of iconic variations and pas de deux from the ballet Giselle, in preparation for its 2022 revival at the Palais Garnier.Part 1 (3 episodes) - Peasant pas de deux, featuring young dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet, Inès McIntosh and Nathan Bisson, guided by Sabrina Mallem, Ballet Mistress.Part 2 (5 episodes) - Pas de Deux from Act 2 with Corps de Ballet dancers Alice Catonnet and Axel Magliano, guided by 'Étoile' Dancer Stéphane Bullion.Part 3 (4 episodes) - Mad Scene: On the occasion of her farewell to the stage, 'Étoile' Dancer Alice Renavand prepares to portray Giselle for the first time, rehearsing this iconic passage with 'Étoile' Dancer Monique Loudières. Available from November 2023. © Opéra national de Paris - 2023

ODP_MASTERCLASS_GISELLE_PAS DE DEUX DES VENDANGEURS_EP 01_V05.00_10_49_26.Still004

BA_S1E1 - Giselle, rehearsing with...Sabrina Mallem

Giselle, rehearsing with... Sabrina Mallem - Ep. 1

Peasant pas de deux - Ep. 1

Giselle, rehearsing with... Sabrina Mallem 1/3

Enter a fleeting, ethereal world where dance becomes the language of the soul with the ballet Giselle. Discover the behind-the-scenes of the productio

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