Inception au pays de la Castafiore : Genève applaudit Viva la mamma !

By Tristan Labouret, 24 December 2018

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Par ses mille et une touches drôles et subtiles, Laurent Pelly transforme l’opéra en chef-d’œuvre”

Reviewed at L'Opéra des Nations, Geneva on 23 December 2018

Donizetti, Viva la mamma (Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali)

Grand Théâtre de Genève

Gergely Madaras, Conductor

Laurent Pelly, Director, Costume Designer

Chantal Thomas, Set Designer

Pietro Di Bianco, Biscroma Strappaviscere

Laurent Naouri, Donna Agata Scanagalli

Melody Louledjian, Luigia Castragatti

Luciano Botelho, Guglielmo Antolstoinoff

Enric Martinez-Castignani, Cesare Salzapariglia

Patrizia Ciofi, Daria Garbinati

Peter Kálmán, Impresario

David Bižić, Procolo

Grand Théâtre Opera Chorus

Geneva Chamber Orchestra

Castor et Pollux in Geneva: among the stars, with shadows

Laura Servidei, 28th March

Rameau’s Castor et Pollux returns to the stage in a new production that brings together Baroque repertoire and contemporary theatrical aesthetics, conducted by Leonardo García Alarcón and performed by Cappella Mediterranea with an international cast.

***11

Bal Impérial & Boléro: multi-layered work challenges in Geneva

Daniel Pratt, 19th November

The premiere of Bal Impérial by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui challenges and interrogates to great effect in Geneva.

****1

Pelléas et Mélisande as a dark, shining fairy tale in Geneva

Elodie Olson-Coons, 26th October

A maximalist production of Pelléas et Mélisande at Geneva's Grand Théâtre shines, but tries a little too hard.

****1

Penthouse decadence for a shattering new Salome in Geneva

Mark Pullinger, 22nd January

The Grand Théâtre de Genève is certainly not risk-averse and Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó controversially translates the action to a penthouse bar in New York.

*****

An arthouse staging for Messiaen's testament of beauty in Geneva

Peter Quantrill, 11th April

Installation art sounds a dissonant note with the sublime harmony of Saint François d’Assise in Adel Abdessemed's creation at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.

****1

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui presents Idomeneo as a confused ballet in Geneva

Laura Servidei, 2nd March

The Grand Théâtre de Genève presents a new production of Mozart’s opera seria where the focus is all on dancing and rope twirling. Nevertheless, a good cast, led by Federica Lombardi as Elettra, manages to shine through.

**111

More reviews...

Tristan Labouret

Musicologue diplômé du CNSMD de Paris, Tristan Labouret collabore avec de nombreux artistes et institutions musicales (Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo, Orchestre national d'Île-de-France, Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier, festivals de musique de chambre de Deauville, Just Classik Festival…), menant des activités de médiation à destination de tous les publics. Ex-altiste toujours passionné par les répertoires chambristes et symphoniques, il occupe depuis 2018 le poste de rédacteur en chef de la partie francophone de Bachtrack.