Un memento mori magistral

By Jean-Marc Piriou, 20 June 2015

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“Olivier Py a représenté le memento mori d’une façon intemporelle, presque abstraite.”

Reviewed at Opéra national de Paris: Palais Garnier, Paris on 18 June 2015

Gluck, Alceste

Opéra national de Paris

Marc Minkowski, Conductor

Olivier Py, Director

Pierre-André Weitz, Set Designer

Véronique Gens, Alceste

Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Admète

Tomislav Lavoie, Apollo

Stéphane Degout, High priest of Apollo

Pomp meets ping-pong: Nixon in China lands again in Paris

David Karlin, 14th March

Excellent vocal acting from Thomas Hampson, Renée Fleming, Xiaomeng Zhang and a magnificent orchestral performance conducted by Kent Nagano can't make Valentina Carrasco's production fully grip.

***11

Thomas Adès’ high-flying Exterminating Angel in Paris

Erwan Gentric, 29th February

The French premiere of the British composer's opera will be the undisputed high point of the Grande Boutique's season: a perfect confluence of music, staging and cast.

*****

Shock and awe in Paris with Bernstein's A Quiet Place

David Karlin, 9th March

In the expert hands of both director Warlikowski and conductor Kent Nagano, the sequel to Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti proves to be even darker and more dramatic.

*****

A long road to nowhere for Igor at the Bastille

Mark Pullinger, 1st December

Barrie Kosky's makes a limited impact in his debut at Opéra de Paris, apart from an hallucinogenic Polovtsian Dances.

***11

Les Indes galantes: with Alarcón, Rameau conquers the Bastille

Philippe Ramin, 28th September

The new production of Les Indes galantes at Opéra Bastille is exceptional, from the vocal cast to the choreography by Bintou Dembélé. But the stand-out performance of the evening comes from conductor Leonardo Garcia Alarcón.

*****

Don Giovanni according to Ivo van Hove: a puritan despite himself?

Pierre Liscia-Beaurenaut, 16th June

Don Giovanni returns to the Palais Garnier. The production by Ivo van Hove lacks energy but is wonderfully served by a cast of great young talents.

***11

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Jean-Marc Piriou

Diplômé de l’École Centrale Paris et titulaire d’un Doctorat en Biophysique Moléculaire, Jean-Marc occupe différentes fonctions dans le secteur de l’environnement. Passionné de musique depuis l’enfance, il étudie le saxophone, le piano, puis se forme au chant lyrique (ténor). S’il s’intéresse à tous les styles et toutes les formes de musique, l’opéra est sa grande passion.

Le memento mori magistral d'Olivier Py à l'Opéra Garnier