Fabien Hyon / Léirmheasanna

The co[opera]tive, which had already delighted us last year with a brilliantly dusted-off Petite Messe solemn , digs this promising groove with a high-flying Dame Blanche , which does justice to the original piece by reworking its elements dated to better highlight their qualities. A considerable success when it was created, François-Adrien Boieldieu's comic opera suffered – as is often the case in this repertoire – from texts that were unsuited to contemporary audiences. The rewriting of Pauline Noblecourt transforms his spoken passages into strong elements of the story, with many addresses to the viewer. Between humor and second degree, these underline with pleasure how much the subject is sewn with white thread and therefore, remind that the charm of the representation is to be found elsewhere than in the verisimilitude. It must be said that this entire village struggling to return the castle to its aristocratic owner to the detriment of one of their own is something to be dubious about! The decor by Irène Vignaud also fortunately abandons the first degree of a Middle Ages of cardboard in favor of a scenography of evocation, play, "one would say that one would be in a castle" which has the scent of childhood. These modernized elements respond happily to the interpretation of the Orchester Les Siècles on period instruments. If this choice impacts accuracy, which is more difficult to obtain, the tolerant ear is rewarded with warm, sensual colors and a delight of nuances. The visual dimension of the show reinforces the impression of a delicious fable since the costume of each character evokes an animal. The starting point of the reflection of the costume designer, Cindy Lombardi, was undoubtedly the title of the work since the white lady is the other name of the barn owl. The peasants logically form a faunal herd, a reference both to their gregarious and pleasure-loving character. They don kilts since we are in Walter Scott's fantasy Scotland. The hero, meanwhile, adorns himself with rooster feathers, just like the conductor, king of a musical barnyard. The first air of the old nurse evokes her bobbins; guardian of the uninhabited castle, she is of course aragne in her canvas while the "villain" of the story evokes a sumptuous beetle. The mixture of contemporary elements, traditional clothing, feathers and wigs transforms improbable associations into a stunning success. With pleasing plumage, song to match: the scenic stage brings together formidable artists who serve with obvious jubilation the spirited staging of Louise Vignaud . Remarkable director of actors, endowed with a perfect sense of rhythm, she comes from the world of theater and makes here for the first time incursion into the lyrical universe. She draws each character extremely precisely, including the members of the chorus of the Cortège d'Orphée , vocally and scenically stunning. They offer us nuanced, comical and very human reactions. The group is led by an enthusiastic peasant couple: La Jenny by Sandrine Buendiais a model of fantasy, joie de vivre, comic precision and prides itself on delicate piani and impeccable vocals. Fabien Hyon responds to him with energy, with his brilliant projection and his well-camped bass. The rather clear timbre of the two artists is also that of the other couple of the evening, which creates a nice unity and serves the perfectly oiled ensembles that dot the evening. Sahy Ratia shines particularly in the demanding role of Georges who connects the tunes and the difficulties. Like last year in the Petite Messe solennelle , its so Rossinian tone enchants, while the naturalness of the issue as of the scenic incarnation inspires. His rival, Yannis François , is a formidable actor on the bass of a beautiful verticality. For her part, Caroline Jestaedt , the White Lady, does not demerit, with a very pretty timbre, acrobatic vocalizations tuned to the line, but a je-ne-sais-quoi in the incarnation which seems a (small) notch below of the core of the team. This is also the case of the Marguerite, a little wise in the eye as well as in the ear of Majdouline Zerari . Start-of-tour jitters perhaps? They will have the opportunity to gain confidence since the audiovisual project, born of necessity and to be found in replay, will not deprive the White Lady of a fine tour of twenty dates next season, on the stages of the six members of the co[opera]tive , Quimper, Dunkirk, Besançon, Compiègne, Tourcoing and Rennes for the end of year celebrations.

On the evening of the premiere of La Dame Blanche , December 10, 1825, the musicians of the Opéra-Comique came to serenade François-Adrien Boieldieu under his windows. When it came to having everyone go up to the Maestro , there were problems with space. Gioacchino Rossini , who lived in the same building, opened his apartment and it was at the champion of Latin clarity that the triumph of the vogue for ghosts and haunted (Scottish) castles was celebrated. Because at the time, opera was fashionable and Walter Scott was all the rage. The White Ladyalso consecrated the success of French comic opera, which was to experience its great days, at the same time as that of Boïeldieu, whose career, which began during the Revolution, was already dotted with fine successes in the gracious genre which were entitled My Aunt Aurore or Cars paid . Returned to the poster at the Opéra-Comique last February (in a staging by Pauline Bureau which will be revived next January at the Opéra Nice Côte d'Azur ), the work seems to be regaining favor today of our French theatres, as evidenced by this new production by the Opéra de Rennes (in co-production with the Co(opera)tive), entrusted to Louise Vignaud and finally broadcast on Facebook Watch , since the performance halls will have to remain closed until at least next January 7 ... And if the work is not often played, the problem does not seem to come from the score: the Rossinian accents, the licked orchestration, the melodies that are hummed at the exit still have everything to please... The problem is that the libretto turns out to be a challenge to the goodwill of the directors and the spectators: this story of the heir to a great Scottish family, unaware of his true identity, who finds himself unintentionally in the castle of his ancestors and decides to redeem it with the discreet help of a young orphan girl he has been in love with since she saved him after a battle… ready to smile kindly. But the ridicule culminates when the young lady disguises herself as a ghost (the famous "White Lady") to give him advice without him recognizing the object of her flame...Louise Vignaud , from the world of theater and who signed her first lyrical management there, transformed the story into an animal tale. She started by having the dialogues rewritten (byPauline Noblecourt), on the one hand to modernize them, but also to add more humor to this preposterous story, with many winks and asides for the attention of the spectators ( ultimately absent). The scenography imagined byIrène Vignaudrefers to a fantasized and cardboard Scotland and Middle Ages, which has something to do with our childhood. But the main thing here, in addition to the director's sharp acting direction, are Cindy Lombardi's many colorful and zoomorphic costumes., which all evoke such and such an animal: a barn owl for the White Lady, a rooster with sumptuous plumage for the hero (like the conductor!), a spider for Marguerite (the old guardian of the castle), a beetle for the wicked Gaveston, while the excellent chorus of the Cortège d'Orphée are fauns sporting horns… and kilts! Malagasy tenor Sahy Ratia (who gave us a brief interview ) here confirming the hopes born of his Nemorino at the Avignon Opera last year. In addition to a very sure technical approach, he has the exact vocality of the role, with colors full of diversity, and a vocal texture that knows how to bend to the different facets of Georges Brown, the perfect type of comic opera tenor. as it fits into the aesthetics of the first half of the 19th century, combining elegiac song, distinction and flexibility of line, precision of line and ornamentation. With so many qualities, he makes short work of his two tunes “ Ah, what a pleasure to be a soldier! » and the famous « Come, kind lady ”. Kudos to him! In the role of Anna (the White Lady), the young Belgian coloratura soprano Caroline Jestaedt plays with her character's vocalizations, but on the other hand still lacks real scenic weight, which she will undoubtedly acquire with more experience. from the scene. The charming soprano Sandrine Buendia , who we liked so much at the beginning of the season in Despina ( Cosi fan tutte ) at the Théâtre du Capitole , is a mischievous Jenny with a timbre of a certain quality in the medium and an appreciable agility in the vocalizations, while Fabien Hyon portrays a beautifully crafted Dickson, full of spirit, always precisely dosed. For his part, Guadeloupean baritone Yannis Françoislends its tall silhouette to Gaveston, as well as its beautiful bass, but the high register proves more problematic. Finally, Majdouline Zerari delights us, with her golden mezzo, in her aria “ Light spindles, turn ”. At the head of an Orchester Les Siècles reduced to nineteen instrumentalists (both to respect health rules, and because the show is intended to tour thereafter almost everywhere in France), Nicolas Simon (associate conductor of the "period" phalanx since 2014) offers a precise, dynamic, spirited and humorous direction. Can't wait for the Nice takeover of this endearing work!

With pleasing plumage, ramage to match: the stage brings together formidable artists who serve with evident jubilation the lively staging of Louise Vignaud . Remarkable director of actors, endowed with a perfect sense of rhythm, she comes from the world of the theater and makes here for the first time in the lyrical universe. She draws each character in an extremely precise way, including the members of the choir of the Parade of Orpheus , astonishing vocally and scenically. They offer us nuanced, funny and very human reactions. The group is led by an enthusiastic farmer couple: La Jenny by Sandrine Buendiais a model of fantasy, joie de vivre, comic precision and prides itself on delicate piani and impeccable vocalizations. Fabien Hyon gives him the reply with going, his brilliant projection and his deep bass.

We expected to discover La Dame blanche at the Imperial Theater in Compiègne in early November, before she left on tour, but the damn virus once again decided otherwise and thwarted the normal course of things. All did not fall apart, however: the work of the team brought together by the Co [opera] tive was able to find immediate concrete expression, thanks to its recording at the Opéra de Rennes and its retransmission, the December 11, as part of “L'Amour de loin”, a digital festival created by orchestras and opera houses that are members of the Musical Forces. In the room, where we were able to slip the day before the broadcast, as on the screen, the quality of the show signed by Louise Vignaud, a young director from the world of theater, and directed by Nicolas Simon wins without discussion. After Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle last year, this Boieldieu is added to the Co [opera] tive's list of successes. Simplicity and elegance of the scenography (by Irène Vignaud, with very beautiful lights by Luc Michel): La Dame blancheaccording to Louise Vignaud responds perfectly to the specifications of the company founded by Loic Boissier in 2015 and seduces by its inventive economy of means and its fluidity, as much as by the youthful look brought by the rewriting of the dialogues (welcome the opportune shortening of those of Act II, interminable in the original version) and the introduction of welcome sides between certain characters and the public. No downtime in the unfolding of a score that Louise Vignaud transposes into an animal world - a treat for Cindy Lombardi, inventive costume designer, and leaving for the eye of the beholder The liveliness of the images responds to the energy of real troop work. The distribution, very homogeneous, first confirms the talent of Sahy Ratia ( photo on the right ), a young tenor of Malagasy origin (born in 1991) in full flight whose Georges Brown wins the bet, dashing, seductive and a radiant stage presence. From this point of view, as on the vocal level, Fabien Hyon ( photo at g., Dikson) and Sandrine Buendia (Jenny), ideally paired, deserve nothing but praise. Even if Caroline Jestaedt shows a little fragility at times, the charm of her Anna, hidden behind a white owl mask, is undeniable. In Gaveston, Yannis François offers a singular incarnation, full of slyness and more complex than is usual for this role. Majdouline Zerari (Marguerite) and Ronan Airault (Marc-Irton) do their jobs very well, while the singers of the Cortège d'Orphée (dir. Anthony Lo Papa) make a major contribution, both through voice and stage performance. to the dynamism of the show. As for the pit, where Nicolas Simon (2) leads nineteen instrumentalists from Les Siècles (the composer Robin Melchior signs a remarkable orchestral arrangement), all there is is life, speed, enthusiasm, color, commitment - and attention to the stage! The recording broadcast on December 11 remains available for free in replay. As for the production tour, it is postponed to next season and we already know that this delicious animal Boieldieu will stop over in Rennes at the end of 2021 during the holiday season.