Opera Comique | News Music & Opera

“Comique” Responsible and Inspired with Louis Langrée

admin_mowp — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:51:15 +0000

Things are heating up at the Opéra-Comique — as hot as the coffee Louis Langrée served to the journalists welcomed into his office, a mythical place haunted by the ghosts of all the artistic directors who came before him. Birthplace of Carmen, Pelléas et Mélisande, Lakmé and Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Paris’s other national opera house has not only succeeded in preserving its unique status, but has risen high in the ranks of major French institutions. Since the inauguration, in 1898, of the current auditorium — which has retained the same proportions as the original 1783 hall — numerous renovations have been undertaken. However, the stage tower, damaged in the 2000s, now requires further work, leading to a temporary closure. There will indeed be a 2026–27 season, with concerts and masterclasses held in the foyer, but productions will take place on tour, notably across the regions, within the network of Italian-style theatres. The Maîtrise Populaire and the Opéra-Comique Academy, united under the name “Campus Favart”, will of course continue their activities. Major events will return as of 2027–28, with a Maeterlinck cycle, a Goethe cycle, and the continuation of great French lyric tragedies. After Iphigénie en Tauride, scheduled from 2 to 12 November 2025 — a highly anticipated new production staged by Wajdi Mouawad, with Louis Langrée sharing the podium with Théotime Langlois de Swarte — the maestro announces another Gluck opera with Alceste, as well as Scylla et Glaucus by Leclair. Langrée is expected to conduct Pelléas et Mélisande, while Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust — returning to the hall of its premiere in concert version as in 1846 — should be entrusted to a commanding Berlioz specialist. A production of the rarely heard Ariane et Barbe-Bleue by Dukas is also in the pipeline. Now dividing his time between his duties as director and his acclaimed conducting career, Louis Langrée has had his mandate at the Théâtre national de l’Opéra-Comique extended until 2029.

All performances at Opéra-Comique

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Hoffmann is telling his tales at Comique!

admin_mowp — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:42:21 +0000

After the usual summer break, which is always too long for music lovers, the 2025/2026 season at the Opéra-Comique opens on 25 September 2025 with Les Contes d’Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann), Jacques Offenbach‘s only opera and absolute masterpiece. Lotte de Beer‘s production comes from Strasbourg, where it premiered last January at the Opéra national du Rhin.

Offenbach, the undisputed master of opéra bouffe during the Second Empire, reveals a whole new side to his artistic genius in this work. Based on the fantastical short stories of E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Tales of Hoffmann is an opera that brings together several tales about the unhappy loves of the writer, an iconic figure of European Romanticism. Unfortunately, Offenbach died before seeing his work performed on stage at the Opéra-Comique. Several revisions and additions that have been made to the work are both a real headache for musicologists and a veritable playground. There are several versions of The Tales that the German director explores.

This new production marks the return of an essential masterpiece to the Opéra-Comique repertoire. A regular at the institution, tenor Michael Spyres plays Hoffmann, opposite his Muse, played by Héloïse Mas. Conducting, Pierre Dumoussaud confirms his status as a leading interpreter of the Offenbach repertoire. Performances will run from 25 September to 5 October 2025 and are set to be one of the highlights of the opera season.

Get your tickets for The Tales of Hoffmann at the Opéra-Comique by clicking here!

For more information on the latest news from the Opéra-Comique, click here!

Les Contes d’Hoffmann – c – Klara Back – Opera National du Rhin janvier 2025

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The Opéra-Comique ends its season in Hell with Faust!

admin_mowp — Tue, 27 May 2025 12:28:03 +0000

The 2024–2025 season is drawing to a close at the Opéra-Comique, and it promises to leave a lasting impression. From June 21 to July 1, 2025, the iconic Parisian institution will stage Faust, Charles Gounod’s dramatic masterpiece, in a unique and rarely performed format. Indeed, Denis Podalydès‘ staging is based on the original version with spoken dialogues—the true Opéra-Comique version.

Audiences will also have the chance to rediscover some of the opera’s lesser-known pages, brought to life by a stellar cast led by the much-anticipated tenor Julien Dran and soprano Vannina Santoni.

A familiar face at the Opéra-Comique, baritone Jérôme Boutillier—named ADAMI Revelation of the Year in 2016—returns to the stage as the devil’s emissary, Méphistophélès. Originally trained as a pianist, Boutillier first made his mark in 2018 when he stepped in at the last minute to perform the role of Luddorf in Gounod’s La Nonne sanglante, also at the Opéra-Comique. His acclaimed performance earned him public recognition. Seven years later, he returns to the same venue in another devilishly demanding role—a return to his roots and a true delight in store for the Parisian audience eagerly awaiting him.

This new Faust production, a co-production with the Opéra de Lille and the Palazzetto Bru Zane, brings the Opéra-Comique’s season to a close. Also on the program: Gluck’s L‘Île de Merlin ou Le Monde renversé, to be performed on June 24, 26, and 28, 2025—a fantastical, satirical tale, reimagined by Myriam Marzouki for the Opéra-Comique Academy.

To attend the last performances of the Opera-Comique’s season, click here!

And to discover the new Opera-Comique’s season, it’s here!

Performance of Faust – c – Opéra-Comique

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Voltaire and Rameau Lose Their Hair at the Comique!

admin_mowp — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 09:52:25 +0000

Since this summer, music lovers have known that Voltaire aspired to provide Rameau with an opera libretto about Samson, the well-known biblical figure famous for his complicated history with the temptress Delilah, who cut his hair. Unfortunately, royal censorship refused to allow this sacred story to be staged in an opera (something Saint-Saëns would achieve years later with the success we all recognize). Rameau, who had already begun composing the music, was forced to abandon his opera and later repurposed his score in other works.

Voltaire is said to have told the composer: “I propose that we start a revolution together, for opera today has lost itself in the corridors of entertainment. It must allow us to read the world, to ask great questions.”

For Raphaël Pichon, the reason for the censorship is encapsulated in the final verses of Act III: “People, rise up. People, awaken. People, break your chains. Fight for your freedom.” On July 4, 2024, at the Théâtre de l’Archevêché in Aix-en-Provence (and not on July 14, the day of the storming of the Bastille), the brilliant conductor Raphaël Pichon unearthed a score that he had completely reworked for the world premiere of this Samson by Jean-Philippe Rameau, set to a libretto by Voltaire.

After its great critical and public success, Claus Guth’s production is now scheduled in Paris at the Opéra-Comique from March 17 to 23, 2025. While Jarrett Ott reprises his role as Samson from Aix, the Opéra-Comique presents a refreshed cast, with Ana Maria Labin as the new Delilah. She joins Julie Roset as Timna and Mirco Palazzi as Achisch, alongside the young and immensely talented singers Camille Chopin and Laurence Kilsby.

The Opéra-Comique has no intention of touching one hair on Raphaël Pichon, whose dynamism as a conductor has worked wonders more than once in this ideal acoustic setting. Let us recall the successes of Orphée et Eurydice by Gluck, Ercole Amante by Cavalli, Hippolyte et Aricie by Rameau, Fidelio by Beethoven, and Lakmé by Delibes, as well as Miranda, a pasticcio based on a work by Purcell, and Un Autre Voyage, inspired by Schubert’s operas— all conducted masterfully by Raphaël Pichon, a regular at the house!

To go seeing Raphaël Pichon conducting, click here !

Opera Comique & Raphaël Pichon – c – Stefan Brion & Piergab

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Children are Sacrificed at Paris’ Salle Favart!

admin_mowp — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:30:58 +0000

After a festive December featuring Les Fêtes d’Hébé by Rameau and the 80th birthday celebrations of William Christie on its stage, the Opéra-Comique dives into tragedy with its new production, running from February 8 to 16, 2025. Cherubini’s Médée, a masterpiece of darkness, offers one of the most harrowing yet thrilling roles of infanticide for its interpreters and has been embodied by the greatest sopranos, including Maria Callas.

The stunning Joyce El-Khoury takes on the role, supported by a predominantly female creative team. Laurence Equilbey conducts her Insula orchestra, while Marie-Ève Signeyrole directs the production. The cast also includes Lila Dufy, Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur, Edwin Crossley-Mercer, and Julien Behr.

Additionally, on January 23 and 24, 2025, the Opéra-Comique presents another, much rarer Médée, composed by Georg Anton Benda. This version features Sylvia Bergé, an actress from the Comédie-Française, alongside the artists of the Opéra-Comique Academy, in a new French translation.

If you want to see this new production of the Opera-Comique, click there!

Affiche de Médée – c – Jekaterina Buryte

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William Christie at 80, A Celebration at the Opéra-Comique with Hébé!

admin_mowp — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 09:00:27 +0000

Thanks to its highly relevant programming, the Opéra-Comique often plays to sold-out audiences, especially when a special event awaits its regular spectators. From December 13 to 21, 2024, Les Fêtes d’Hébé, Rameau’s magnificent opéra-ballet, will be staged by Robert Carsen, who reunites with William Christie for the eleventh time! But what makes this occasion truly remarkable is that, during the performance on December 19, the celebrated baroque conductor will celebrate his 80th birthday alongside the music lovers gathered at the Salle Favart. For this special evening, the Opéra-Comique encourages attendees to dress in style. And for those who can’t make it, they can still enjoy his anniversary season to applaud the great maestro all around the world!

To find all the dates of William Christie in the world

William Christie (c) Oscar Ortega

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The Opéra-Comique Today and Especially Tomorrow!

admin_mowp — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 07:43:58 +0000

Building on the success of previous initiatives, the National Opéra-Comique Theatre is launching its 5th crowdfunding campaign in support of its Maîtrise Populaire, a multidisciplinary, top-tier performing arts training program dedicated to young people aged 8 to 25 from all social backgrounds. The Maîtrise provides 4,650 hours of artistic training per year to its 126 students, thanks to its team of 18 teachers, and delivered 45 performances during the 2023-2024 season. The training is free of charge! To encourage and discover the talents of tomorrow, join M&O in supporting the Maîtrise Populaire of the Opéra-Comique: https://soutenir.opera-comique.com/project/grandir-sur-scene!

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Marianne Crebassa’s Defining Role at the Comique

admin_mowp — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 08:00:15 +0000

She made a sensation at the 2023 Aix Festival (once again!), Marianne Crebassa is returning to the defining role in Picture a Day Like This, in Paris from October 25 to 31, 2024. George Benjamin‘s opera is being revived at the Opéra-Comique after the critical success it garnered during its Aix premiere. In this new work by the composer of the masterpiece Written on Skin, she portrays a woman searching for a miracle following a tragic event—the death of her infant. The power of her performance and the poetic direction by Marie-Christine Soma and Daniel Jeanneteau make it one of the must-see events of the season!

Discover Marianne Crebassa in Picture a day like this

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The return of the pig to the Opéra-Comique

admin_mowp — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 08:00:23 +0000

The antics of Valérie Lesort and Christian Hecq, the famous directors, have made the beautiful evenings of the Opéra-Comique as with this priceless Domino Noir by Auber where the intervention of the pig José left its mark. The joyful production is being revived from September 20 to 28, 2024 with the musical direction of Louis Langrée, director. Anne-Catherine Gillet and Cyrille Dubois, the superb ones, are back in the role they brilliantly played in 2018, joined by the very young and enthusiastic generation, Victoire Bunel and Léo Vermot-Desroches in the lead. A joyful show not to be missed this time!

Discover Domino Noir at the Opéra-Comique

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Comeback of Lully after Gluck at the Opéra Comique

admin_mowp — Thu, 16 May 2024 08:00:59 +0000

The terrible Armide has inspired many opera composers of genius. The Opéra Comique welcomes the heroine back from 17 to 25 June 2024, but it’s not the same music. Music lovers who heard Gluck‘s Armide last season will be able to draw comparisons with Lully‘s Armide, with the same libretto by Philippe Quinault and the same sets by Bruno de Lavenère. Director Lilo Baur is back at it again, with a different score and a completely new cast. Ambroisine Bré and Cyrille Dubois take on the roles of Armide and Renaud under the eagerly awaited direction of the great specialist Christophe Rousset at the helm of his Talens Lyriques.

Discover Armide by Lully at the Opéra Comique

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