Paris Opera to release Mireille on DVD and to live TV-broadcast 3 operas in 2010-2011

The Paris Opera magazine "En Scène!" informs that two productions presented last year are to be released on DVD this month, namely the appalling production of Mireille [Sept 23]*, and Jacquot's  Werther with Kaufmann, Koch et al. [Sept 17].

"En Scène!" also informs us that, during the current season, France Télévision will live broadcast the following three operas:

• Le Nozze di Figaro , dir Giorgio Strehler,  with Tézier, Frittoli, Syurina, Pisaroni, Deshayes [30 years old production]
• Giulio Cesare, dir Laurent Pelly, with Zazzo, Dessay, Leonard, Abrahamyan, Dumaux, Berg, Visse [new production!]
• Francesca da Rimini, dir Giancarlo Del Monaco, with Vassileva, Alagna, Smilek et al. [a year after his horrid Andrea Chénier in Paris, Del Monaco is back with this show premiered in Zurich in 2007]

Precise dates are not communicated. Will keep you posted.
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* Incidentally,  I see that ROH too rushed to release its worst 2009-2010 production on DVD: The Tsarina's Slippers. :)

Last bit on Werther

Many mails asking "how to see Werther?"
You may of course see bits and pieces on YouTube, but if you're interested in experiencing a full/continuous flow of emotions click here and enjoy!

[Regards from Berlin (I hate snow)]

Re-Werther: you might wish to set your DVR

The world's coolest TV, Arte, made it possible for all of you guys --who don't receive their program in France or in Germany-- to see the live broadcast of that sensationally well sung Werther  from l'Opéra Bastille. The web site is ready

http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Werther_a_l_Opera_Bastille/ 

We learn that the webcast will be also available via the ONP web site, but from my experience you should take than only as a back-up option: their site is far too slow for that.

Memorable night with smashing Werther and Charlotte

This was "one of those nights". If you can go and see it live at the Paris Opera, don't think twice - GO!

Super gutsy performance from Jonas Kaufmann: he was coughing between his arias but he sang every single note, and boy did he sing majestically! Sophie Koch was the best Charlotte I've ever seen. Magnificent Ludovic Tézier and Anne-Catherine Gillet  complete the superb cast.

La prima of Werther - tonight !

Tonight -at the acoustically horrendous hall of Opera Bastille- should premiere Werther, with excellent cast.

The rumor has it that both Jonas Kaufmann and Sophie Koch are ill. The final dress rehearsal took place  behind the closed doors and no leak so far on whether or not Kaufmann will sing tonight.
Hoping for the best...

Werther on ARTE TV

You can still see a pretty little opera by Shostakovich "Moscow Cheryomushki" (Москва Черемушки) produced by the Lyon Opera, and filmed past Tuesday, December 29 2009. It is free and it's on Arte Live Web (N.B. there're no subtitles).

On Tuesday, January 26, at 20:30 (C.E.T.), Arte TV will show "Werther", live from Opéra Bastille (ONP).

There are at least two reasons why programming "Werther" this year in ONP was... how should I put it?... was not a very clever thing to do:

1. Opéra Bastille hosted a BSO-Munich production of "Werther" in February and March 2009, which in spite of a starry cast -including R.Villazon, S.Graham, L.Tézier, A.Kucerova- was not a success [after only 3-4 shows (out of 10!) there were loads of free seats even though the most expensive tics were drastically slashed - by like 70%, 1 hour before each show]. There's no reason to believe that the audience will embrace "Werther" less than a year after its unmemorable run [ONP is already advertising 30-50% discount on seats in the 1st category]

2. This is not a new production! It is a revival of the Jacquot's "Werther", produced and run at Royal Opera House in 2005. To me it seems that the new intendant [Nicolas Joel] insisted on inserting this opera in the program 2009-2010, to emphasize the difference between him and his predecessor [Gerard Mortier]. The top national theater and one of the richest in the world deserves better than that...

Pic from The Guardian with Alvarez & Donose in Jacquot's Werther - ROH, 2005

HOWEVER, the cast will be very good:

Jonas Kaufmann Werther

Ludovic Tézier Albert

Sophie Koch Charlotte

Anne-Catherine Gillet Sophie

so I guess you should check out  the Arte website on January 26, at 20:30 (C.E.T.). Cheers!