Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů had a deep connection to France, where he settled in 1923. His first opera, Juliette ou la Clé des songes, was completed in Nice (between the Cimiez hills and Port Lympia) and premiered in Czech at the Národní Divadlo in Prague, though the original version was written in French.
It is only fitting that the Côte d’Azur’s premier opera house, the Opéra de Nice, will stage a new production of this rarely performed masterpiece on March 11, 13, and 15, 2025. Following the success of Rusalka, directors Jean-Philippe Clarac and Olivier Deloeuil return to Nice, using the city’s iconic landmarks as the backdrop for the opera (the train station, the Matisse Museum, the beach at Hôtel Amour, etc.). A dreamlike setting for this surreal fable, where the talented Valentin Thill takes on the role of Michel opposite his dream Juliette, portrayed by Ilona Revolskaya. The musical direction will be in the capable hands of Dutch conductor Antony Hermus.
Production de Juliette ou la Clé des Songes – Opéra de Nice Website
