Organization

Singer

Soprano

Mireille Delunsch

Louise

Mezzo-soprano

Jane Henschel

Mother

Marie-Paule Dotti

Irma

Natacha Finette-Constantin

Camille

Anne Salvan

Gertrude

Tenor

Paul Groves

Julien

Baritone

José van Dam

Father

Luca Lombardo

Le pape des fous

René Schirrer

Chiffonière

Conductor

Sylvain Cambreling

Stage director

André Engel

Costume designer

Chantal de la Coste-Messelière

Set designer

Nicky Rieti

The noctambulist

Yun Jung Choi

Élise

La premiére

Elisa Cenni

L'Apprentie

La petite chiffoniére

Adriana Simon

Blanche

Letitia Singleton

Suzanne

Milk woman

Daniela Entcheva

Madeleine

Cornelia Oncioiu

La balayeuse

La plieuse

La glaneuse

Marguerite

Bass

Bartłomiej Misiuda

Le bricoleur

Rodrigo García

First philosopher

David Fernandez-Gainza

Second philosopher

Pascal Meslé

Sculpteur

Hyun-Jong Roh

Étudiant

Shin Jae Kim

Young poet

Hyoung-Min Oh

Peintre

Myoung-Chang Kwon

1. Bohème

Marchand d'habits

First guard

Second guard

Child vocalist

Caroline Bibas

Apprenti

Joumana El-Amiouni

M'des artichauts

Fernando Velasquez

Le m'd des carottes

Le colleur d'affiches

Marie-Cécile Chevassus

La rempailleuse

Lighting designer

André Diot

Dramaturge

Dominique Muller

Chorus master

Peter Burian

Opéra National de Paris

Others

Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine

Orchestra

Paris Opera Orchestra

French

Paris

France

Opéra Bastille

Louise by G. Charpentier, from Paris Opera, 2007. Directed by André Engel, conductor Sylvain Cambreling, starring Luca Lombardo, José Van Dam, Mireille Delunsch, Jane Henschel, Marie-paule Dotti, Anne Salvan and Natacha Constantin. Performed in French.

The opera is a homage to Paris and Montmartre  - director André Engel therefore works with large-scale recordings that  go well with the lyrical tableaus of Gustave Charpentier's music. The Orchester de l'Opéra National de Paris under Sylvain Cambreling plays richly and beautifully; very good cast.

Gustave Charpentier's "musical novel" Louise takes some of its cues from Wagner—the use of leitmotif—and Massenet—the naturalistic verismo quality and spotlight on the common people. The work's libretto, inspired by symbolist poet Saint-Pol Roux, depicts the titular young seamstress, a sensitive dreamer torn between filial duty and her love for neighbor Julien, a poet. Louise ultimately finds happiness in the arms of Julien, against the wishes of her parents (especially her father), which inspires the famous aria that opens Act III: "Depuis le jour où je me suis donnée, toute fleurie semble ma destinée..." ("Since the day I gave myself, my destiny seems flower-strewn...")

In this outstanding production from the Paris Opera, the "Queen of the Bohemians" finds a worthy interpreter in Mireille Delunsch, whose theatrical instincts inform her every gesture. Jane Henschel imbues Louise's mother with a moving strength and dignity alongside José Van Dam as a tortured father who blames the sinful city of Paris for stealing his daughter away from him. An ode to the French capital, depicted as a place of mirth and celebration, whimsy and euphoria, full of colorful characters: the king of fools, the noctambulist, songwriters, peddlers, painters, philosophers—each has a place in the City of Lights!

Louise Charpentier,G

Approved

Photos