Fortunio by Messager, ut 19 nov 2024, Od (2024/2024), Režírované Denis Podalydès,, Dirigent Marc Leroy-Calatayud, Opéra de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Fortunio is a delightful blend of boulevard theatre with its lovers hiding in wardrobes and the romanticism of Alfred de Musset, that master of true feeling who strikes an arrow straight to the heart with his beautiful pages dedicated to love. In 1907, the famous Parisian duo Caillavet and Flers brilliantly drew on Musset’s pay Le Chandelier to create a delightful libretto. In order to keep her love affair with Captain Clavaroche as discreet as possible, the beautiful Jacqueline is looking for a naïve decoy to deflect the suspicions of her husband, the lawyer Maître André. Her choice falls on the tender Fortunio, fresh from his native village. André Messager, then director of the Opéra-Comique, created an exquisitely charming opera in four acts, a score as supple and delicate as shimmering water. The palette of subtle nuances does not exclude mischief and passion, which remain gallant and witty. Messager’s refined music is finally being performed at the Opéra de Lausanne. Returning to his home town for the occasion, young conductor Marc Leroy-Calatayud leads the Sinfonietta de Lausanne in this sweet gem of French opera. Elegantly accompanied by Christian Lacroix for the costumes and Éric Ruf (General Administrator of the Comédie-Française) for the sets, Denis Podalydès (member of the Comédie-Française) reveals the truth of the characters through his staging: this graceful setting carries us back to the Belle Époque. It is a pleasure to welcome him to the Opéra de Lausanne for the first time.