Paris Philharmonie | News Music & Opera

The Opéra de Nice breaks the Glass once again!

admin_mowp — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 14:06:15 +0000

Bertrand Rossi, the brilliant and astute director of the Opéra de Nice, made a bold statement at the start of his tenure on the French Riviera by staging a major work, rarely seen in France.

In 2021, Philip Glass’s Akhnaten has been performed on the French Riviera, winning both critical and public acclaim. The American composer Philip Glass, one of the leading figures of minimalist music, wrote a trilogy of operas on “men who changed the world in which they lived through the power of their ideas.”

By bringing together emerging artists such as Robert Wilson and Lucinda Childs, the first part, Einstein on the Beach (composed in 1976), caused a sensation and marked its era. After Akhnaten, Bertrand Rossi has outpaced the Paris Opera by programming Satyagraha for the very first time in France since its creation!

While the “Grande Boutique” is preparing a production staged by Bobbi Jene Smith for April 2026, Nice once again calls on the legendary Lucinda Childs, who will take on both direction and choreography. On October 3, 5, and 7, 2025, Léo Warynski will conduct the chorus and orchestra of the Opéra de Nice, just as he did in 2021, with a cast featuring tenor Sahy Ratia as Gandhi and Julie Robard-Gendre, also present in 2021.

An ode to peace and humanity, Satyagraha draws inspiration from Gandhi’s journey and his concept of non-violent resistance, while evoking great figures such as the writer Leo Tolstoy, the poet Rabindranath Tagore, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The entire Opéra de Nice company will then head to the Philharmonie de Paris for a concert version of Akhnaten, which is already sold out! Philip Glass and the Opéra de Nice are riding wave after wave of success!

To see Philip Glass’ work, click here!

And to find out more about Paris Opera news, click here!

Philip Glass’ Satyagraha production at Opéra de Nice – c – Opéra de Nice

The post The Opéra de Nice breaks the Glass once again! appeared first on News Music & Opera.

The Orchestre de Paris remains under Finnish leadership

admin_mowp — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 14:04:52 +0000

The news had been eagerly awaited: who would succeed Klaus Mäkelä at the helm of the Orchestre de Paris, one of the greatest French ensembles, if not the finest orchestra in the country? The answer has now arrived: the eminent Esa-Pekka Salonen has been appointed Chief Conductor of the Orchestre de Paris and will also hold the Chair of Creation and Innovation at the Philharmonie de Paris, starting in 2027. Both Esa-Pekka Salonen and Klaus Mäkelä were born in Helsinki.

When, in 2020, Klaus Mäkelä became Musical Advisor and then Music Director in September 2021, the Orchestre de Paris caused a stir by appointing such a young conductor, almost unknown to the wider public. A bold move that paid off: Mäkelä, then only 24, was quickly noticed by other major orchestras such as the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Amsterdam has offered him the post of Chief Conductor beginning in 2027, while Chicago has called upon him to succeed Riccardo Muti, also from September 2027. With so many commitments—while still holding his post as Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic since 2020—the young Finnish maestro had to make a choice, and Paris was the one he sacrificed.

The appointment of Esa-Pekka Salonen, though sometimes anticipated, does not come with the same surprise as Mäkelä’s arrival. Salonen first conducted the Orchestre de Paris in 1988 and has returned almost every season since. A renowned conductor, composer, and initiator of cultural projects, Salonen has distinguished himself at the helm of several prestigious ensembles, including the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the San Francisco Symphony, where he has served as brilliant Principal Conductor or Music Director.

Olivier Mantei, General Director of the Cité de la musique – Philharmonie de Paris, stated: “We are very happy and proud to welcome to the head of the Orchestre de Paris an exceptional musician who has maintained a close relationship with the orchestra for many years, and who has left a lasting mark on the ensembles he has led worldwide through his talent and vision. Esa-Pekka Salonen is an artist deeply anchored in today’s world, and we look forward to working with him on the artistic and societal challenges of the present and future, through the chair specially created for him by the Philharmonie de Paris.”

At the head of the Orchestre de Paris, Salonen will follow in the footsteps of Charles Munch, Herbert von Karajan, Sir Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, Semyon Bychkov, Christoph von Dohnányi, Christoph Eschenbach, Paavo Järvi, Daniel Harding, and his fellow Finn, Klaus Mäkelä.

To discover the upcoming season of the Orchestre de Paris with Esa-Pekka Salonen, click here!

To learn more about the conductor’s latest news, click here!

Esa Pekka Salonen & Klaus Makela – c – Ava du Parc & Marco Boggreve

The post The Orchestre de Paris remains under Finnish leadership appeared first on News Music & Opera.

The Philharmonie de Paris Now Has Its Own School

admin_mowp — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 09:12:11 +0000

No longer just home to one of the best acoustics among modern concert halls in Europe, the Philharmonie de Paris is celebrating its 10th anniversary by launching its first school dedicated to live music production.

This hands-on training program, developed in partnership with Sorbonne Nouvelle and the CNSMD of Paris, offers an immersive learning model within the Philharmonie’s teams. Designed for future producers and music venue managers, the École de la Philharmonie will open in September 2025 with a three-month immersive experience in production careers, followed by a master’s level degree program starting in 2026.

Applications are now open—while spectators can still enjoy the experience from the other side of the curtain, comfortably seated in the hall’s plush chairs!

To know more about the program’s season of the Philharmonie de Paris, click here!

And for the lasts news of Philharmonie de Paris, it’s here!

c – Philharmonie de Paris

The post The Philharmonie de Paris Now Has Its Own School appeared first on News Music & Opera.

With Ophélie, Stéphane Degout Breaks the Hearts of His French Admirers

admin_mowp — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:30:14 +0000

After a rich Fauré Year in 2024, celebrating the centenary of the famous composer’s passing, a major event is on the horizon.

The Requiem, an absolute masterpiece by Fauré and a cornerstone of Western musical literature, will be conducted by Raphaël Pichon at the helm of Ensemble Pygmalion during a European tour from May 11 to 20, 2025.

The conductor, currently one of the most sought-after on the international scene, and his breathtaking ensemble are highly anticipated in this work—especially with the exceptional cast Pichon has assembled. Baritone Stéphane Degout is undoubtedly one of the finest interpreters of Fauré’s Requiem, alongside soprano Sabine Devieilhe, whose crystalline timbre will shine in the Pie Jesu.

As a bonus, the conductor had the brilliant idea of bringing these two great French stars together for excerpts from Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas, following their immense success on the Opéra-Comique stage in 2022.

Unfortunately, French audiences who have not yet secured their tickets for this Requiem for Ophélie may be disappointed. The Auditorium de Bordeaux on May 15, 2025, and the Philharmonie de Paris on May 20 are already sold out! To avoid missing the event, they will have to rush for the last remaining seats in Vienna (Konzerthaus, May 17), Valencia (Palau de la Música), or Madrid (Teatro Real)—fingers crossed!

Book your tickets now, click here!

Stéphane Degout & Sabine Devieilhe – c – Anna Dabrowska et Jean-Baptiste Millot

The post With Ophélie, Stéphane Degout Breaks the Hearts of His French Admirers appeared first on News Music & Opera.

Siegfried from Dresden arrives at the Philharmonie de Paris, albeit with a slight delay

admin_mowp — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:33:41 +0000

For the past two seasons, this Wagnerian event has been taking place in Dresden with an incredible project led in collaboration by Jan Vogler and Kent Nagano. The two artists, supported by the Dresdner Festspielorchester in collaboration with Concerto Köln, have decided to revive the famous cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen in a historically informed interpretation.

The in-depth musicological research, notably conducted by PD Dr. Kai Hinrich Müller, has allowed for the rediscovery of period instruments, such as those specially commissioned by Wagner himself. The result is simply breathtaking! After Das Rheingold in 2022 and Die Walküre in 2023, Siegfried is now scheduled as part of the Dresdner Musikfestspiele this summer (specifically on June 14, 2025).

The fortunate audiences in Prague, Paris, and Cologne, ahead of those in Lucerne, will have the privilege of attending the performances first. Kent Nagano will return to the magnificent Státní opera in Prague for the first performance of Siegfried on April 1, 2025.

Then, it’s Paris’ turn, on April 4, 2025, to host the project for the first time, hoping that Götterdämmerung will be featured in 2026. Wagner’s masterpiece will then be performed on April 10, 2025, at the Köln Philharmonie before Dresden and finally Lucerne, which will host the event on September 12, 2025, as part of its prestigious Festival.

As an interesting note, Parisians will have the chance to see Derek Welton in the role of the Der Wanderer, having discovered him by chance in Das Rheingold when he stepped in at the last minute to replace the artist originally cast as Wotan. This promises to be a remarkable evening, an unprecedented Wagner performance rejuvenated!

To see Siegfried at the Philharmonie of Paris, click there!

Kent Nagano – c – Daniel Reinhardt

The post Siegfried from Dresden arrives at the Philharmonie de Paris, albeit with a slight delay appeared first on News Music & Opera.

The Year of Boulez Begins in France and around the World!

admin_mowp — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 08:30:46 +0000

Born on March 26, 1925, and a towering figure in contemporary music, Pierre Boulez passed away on January 5, 2016, at the age of 90.

In this 2025 season, when he would have turned 100, the French Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Philharmonie of Paris, is launching “L’année Boulez.” The general curatorship of this celebration has been entrusted to Laurent Bayle, a close associate of Boulez and the former director of the Philharmonie de Paris.

Numerous events have been announced in France, as well as in Germany and Switzerland, where the composer also built a significant part of his career. “L’année Boulez” is already enriched with a rich program of concerts focusing on three priorities: the creation of new works, commissions for contemporary composers, and reaching new audiences by combining Pierre Boulez’s music with other disciplines in unique venues. Laurent Bayle detailed this during a press conference held at the Ministry of Culture in Paris, on January 6.

Pour aller entendre les œuvres de Pierre Boulez, cliquez ici !

Pierre Boulez – c – Maxppp – EFE

The post The Year of Boulez Begins in France and around the World! appeared first on News Music & Opera.

At Almost 150 Years Old, Ravel Exhibits His Boléro

admin_mowp — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 09:00:34 +0000

The year 2025 will be a grand celebration of Ravel, who would have turned 150 on March 7.

To mark the occasion, the Philharmonie de Paris is devoting to him an exhibition of a new kind for this major centre of French musical life. From December 3, 2024, to June 15, 2025, at the Musée de la Musique (Cité de la Musique), visitors will not see the usual displays on a composer’s life and works but rather an exploration of the creation and legacy of one piece—Ravel’s most iconic work: le Boléro!

Pierre Korzilius, the curator of the “Ravel Boléro” exhibition, offers an immersive audiovisual experience along with a display of the inspirations and genesis of the Boléro, presented through nearly 200 items, including manuscripts, photos, paintings, and costume sketches.

A series of concerts and lectures focused on Ravel’s work will also take place at the Philharmonie throughout the exhibition.

To attend these Ravelian concerts at the Philharmonie de Paris, click there!

The post At Almost 150 Years Old, Ravel Exhibits His Boléro appeared first on News Music & Opera.

A Big Shaw, Finally in Paris!

admin_mowp — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 08:00:32 +0000

Caroline Shaw is a complete artist. A renowned composer, violinist, and singer, she is the youngest recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, which she won in 2013 for Partita for 8 Voices at the age of thirty! From November 20 to 23, 2024, the Philharmonie de Paris is dedicating a series of concerts to her so that the French public can become better acquainted with the American artist. Klaus Mäkelä, leading the Orchestre de Paris, will ensure the French premiere of The Observatory (November 20 and 21, Grande salle Pierre Boulez). On the 22nd, excerpts from Partita for 8 Voices will be performed by the vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth (Salle des concerts – Cité de la musique). Finally, Caroline Shaw herself will take the stage, accompanied by Gabriel Kahane, to perform Hexagons, a piece they co-wrote together.

Discover Partita for 8 Voices at the Cité de la musique

The post A Big Shaw, Finally in Paris! appeared first on News Music & Opera.

Sonya Yoncheva and William Christie, mind your head!

admin_mowp — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A return to her roots for the voluptuous soprano Sonya Yoncheva, who reunites with William Christie after participating in one of the early editions of Le Jardin des Voix, the academy for young singers by Les Arts Florissants. On November 1, 2024, at the Philharmonie de Paris, November 5 at La Halle aux Grains in Toulouse, and November 7 in Compiègne, the artist, accompanied by Les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie, will perform arias by Mozart, Gluck, Sacchini, Cherubini, Piccinni, Chardin, and Martini. This head-spinning program revives the beloved works of Queen Marie-Antoinette’s repertoire.

Discover Sonya Yoncheva at the Philharmonie de Paris

The post Sonya Yoncheva and William Christie, mind your head! appeared first on News Music & Opera.

Roberto Alagna Creates a Buzz Once Again!

admin_mowp — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:00:16 +0000

After celebrating his 61st birthday on June 7, 2024 and preparing to celebrate his 40-year career with the release of a special box set featuring 33 CDs—the complete collection of his opera recordings for Warner Classics (originally published by EMI Classics, Virgin Classics, Warner Classics, and Erato)—Roberto Alagna, the unique, radiant superstar, will perform in concert alongside another major star of the opera world at the Philharmonie de Paris on Monday, September 23, 2024. On this occasion, Giorgio Croci, at the helm of the Belgian National Orchestra, will conduct arias and duets by Bizet, Donizetti, Moniuszko, Verdi, and Wagner with Ludovic Tézier, who, after Jonas Kaufmann, seems to be collecting the greatest tenors in the world!

Discover Roberto Alagna at the Philharmonie de Paris

The post Roberto Alagna Creates a Buzz Once Again! appeared first on News Music & Opera.