Les Musiciens du Louvre
Grenoble, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Isère, France

On the occasion of the twentieth edition of the Mois Molière , during which the performing arts take hold of the entire city of Versailles, the Royal Opera of the Château welcomes Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme , a cult work of Molière . This comedy-ballet, conceived in collaboration with the composer Jean-Baptiste Lullyand created in Chambord in 1670 in front of Louis XIV, is rarely represented in its original version. The director and actor Jérôme Deschampsand conductor Marc Minkowski come together to offer a particularly delightful version where theater, dance and music complement each other. The staging, of classic style, turns out to be formidably effective. Jérôme Deschamps orchestrates with finesse a series of inventive gags and multiplies the succulent sequences which give pride of place to the actors. Deschamps intelligently takes hold of the most famous scenes, in particular the lesson of the master of philosophy and the Mamamouchi ceremony. He does not hesitate to transform the plateau into a menagerie, inviting camel, crocodile, pig, rooster and lamb during surrealist paintings.Like a drawer unit, the sober and colorful decor offers many play areas conducive to musical and choreographic asides. Visually, the spectators are witnessing fireworks. Colorful and whimsical costumes, extravagant hairstyles and eccentric headdresses rival one another in ridiculousness. The choreographies, by Natalie van Parys, extend the farce setting by offering a tasty mix of classical dance and modern antics. Dressed in caricatural white tutus that lack the grace of romantic ballerinas, the dancers evolve in a biting world where the preciousness of baroque ballet meets the triviality of duck dance.The show is led drastically by Jérôme Deschamps in person, irresistible in the role of Monsieur Jourdain. It offers a festival of grimaces, connects the pirouettes and multiplies the intonations at will, all at a frantic pace. He composes a particularly endearing Monsieur Jourdain, without mitigating the ridiculousness of the man. A troop of fully invested actors surround him and accompany him with talent and energy in his antics. Vincent Debost in jovial and sparkling Covielle, as well as Pauline Tricot, delicious in Nicole, form a couple of hilarious servants. The three masters of Monsieur Jourdain are embodied by an efficient trio. Guillaume Laloux is elegant and precious in the role of the Dance Master, Sébastien Boudrot flattering and sassy in that of the Music Master, Jean-Claude Bolle-Reddat deliciously cutesy in that of the Master of Philosophy. Aurélien Gabrielli composes a whiny Cléonte with an over-shrill voice facing an infantile and capricious Flora camped by Lucile Babled. Pauline Deshons plays a mocking and fresh Dorimène while Madame Jourdain is played by the intractable Josiane Stoleru.The sung passages are interpreted with great charm and humor by a refreshing quartet, with undeniable scenic ease. Soprano Sandrine BuendiaDelivers a funny performance during which she takes obvious pleasure in exaggerating the shrill highs, annoyed by the incessant interruptions of Monsieur Jourdain, while accentuating the pronunciation of the "r", even if it means bordering on the cooing. The high-cons Paco Garcia deploys his dazzling voice with clear timbre during delicate arias, without being disturbed by the comic stupidities of Nicole of which he is the victim. The tenor Lisandro Nesis , whose score is smaller than those of his partners, nonetheless reveals his warm voice with a supple and round line, while showing a beautiful bond with Sandrine Buendia. during their duet. Bass Jérôme Varniercompletes this shock quartet with its vibrant voice, powerful projection and crisp pronunciation. He plays a very funny tall Turk, vocally vigorous, with a slight accent from Eastern Europe.Marc Minkowskienthusiastically conducts the Musicians of the Louvre , whose elegant interpretation does full justice to Lully's music . The conductor manages to ensure consistency with the stage, even when loud laughter from the audience covers the orchestra pit. The famous " Turkish March " is particularly memorable, started gently, with a slow tempo, by the musicians who, once up, let themselves be carried crescendo by Lully's verve until an ecstatic finale. This moment of theatrical and musical lightness, served by an irreproachable cast, is greeted by an enthusiastic audience whose zygomatics have been in great demand.