From 6 June to 14 September 2008
Since 2001, the association « Les Opéras en Plein Air » has been seeking to familiarise all generations of the public with opera. Each year, a light opera is staged at exceptional venues of historic French heritage. After Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and Rossini, this year the association will be presenting « Les Contes d’Hoffmann » one of the leading works by the German composer Jacques Offenbach. The opera will be performed in the Jardin du Sénat (Paris 6th), the Domaine de Sceaux (92), and at the Château de Vaux le Vicomte(77).
This phantasmagorical opera whose libretto was written by Michel Carré and Jules Barbier is based on three short stories by the German writer Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. The storyline is based around the unhappy love affairs of Hoffmann for the doll Olympia, the opera singer Antonia and the courtesan Giulietta, passions jeopardised by the Machiavellian characters Cornelius, Dappertutto and Docteur Miracle.
Scenography is entrusted to the actress Julie Depardieu and the comedian and director Stéphan Druet. Philippe Hui is again in charge of the musical direction of the show. Finally, the choice of performers reflects the initial aim of the festival by bringing talented young opera performers from the most prestigious opera schools into the public eye for the first time.

S.C.-R.

Photo D.R.