Un Don Giovanni noir et carnassier à Bastille

By Philippe Ramin, 04 February 2022

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Tout droit sortis d’un film d’Antonioni, les personnages évoluent dans des clairs-obscurs funèbres”

Reviewed at Opéra national de Paris: Opéra Bastille, Paris on 1 February 2022

Mozart, Don Giovanni

Opéra national de Paris

Bertrand de Billy, Conductor

Ivo van Hove, Director

Jan Versweyveld, Set Designer, Lighting Designer

An D'Huys, Costume Designer

Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris

Chœurs de l'Opéra national de Paris

Christopher Ash, Video

Adela Zaharia, Donna Anna

Nicole Car, Donna Elvira

Christina Gansch, Zerlina

Christian Van Horn, Don Giovanni

Krzysztof Bączyk, Leporello

Pavel Petrov, Don Ottavio

Mikhail Timoshenko, Masetto

Alexander Tsymbalyuk, The Commendatore

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

More reviews...

Philippe Ramin

Claveciniste formé auprès de Béatrice Berstel et Christophe Rousset à Paris et de Jesper Christensen à la Schola Cantorum de Bâle, Philippe Ramin a été accompagnateur au Centre de Musique Ancienne de Tours et au Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, tout en jouant avec diverses formations de la scène baroque : « l’Eclat des Muses », l’ensemble « XVIII-21 le Baroque Nomade » ainsi que la Maîtrise de Radio France avec Sofi Jeannin. Critique musical à Répertoire puis à Diapason depuis 2000, il enseigne actuellement le clavecin, la basse continue et la musique de chambre au Conservatoire à Rayonnement Départemental d’Évry.