Canceled

La Belle Hélène

Jacques Offenbach

#LaBelleHélène

Salle Favart

from 1
to 11 March 2021

Information

01 70 23 01 31 / billetterie@opera-comique.com / 2h30

All audiences

Price

145, 125, 100, 75, 50, 35, 15, 6 €

At first glance, the Belle Hélène makes you smile and dance at the expense of her deceived husband. But shouldn’t we feel sorry for the victim, Ménélas, as fate drives Hélène into Pâris’ arms and lures Greeks into the most terrible of wars?

This opéra-bouffe is an exquisite parody, which offers several layers of meaning — and delight. It was created in 1864, just after the release of Berlioz’ Trojans and, above all, in full liberalisation of theatrical life. Offenbach and his librettists invite us to challenge classical culture, while expressing our fantasies, our dreams and our concerns. Just as their contemporaries, they provide us with an opportunity for Homeric laughter: whether in Sparte or in Paris, then as now, no-one keeps a straight face for a long time…

This revenge of Parisian taste over boredom - as the press depicted it in 1874 - was Offenbach’s first international success.

As Ménélas, Michel Fau celebrates theatre. At the head of the Frivolités Parisiennes, Pierre Dumoussaud makes music sparkle. In the title role, Marie-Nicole Lemieux makes humour rhyme with sensuality

Musical direction Pierre Dumoussaud
Stage direction Michel Fau

With Marie–Nicole Lemieux, Philippe Talbot, Kangmin Justin Kim, Michel Fau, Franck Leguérinel, Jean-Claude Saragosse, Pierre-Emmanuel Roubet, Thomas Morris, Yoann Dubruque, Sarah Jouffroy, Didier Deconinck.

Choir Les éléments
Orchestra Les Frivolités Parisiennes

Around the show

Keys to the show

Twenty minutes to discover everything you need to know about the opera you’re about to see, with the playwright Agnès Terrier

45 minutes before the performance, Salle Bizet.

Sing some tunes

Meet the choirmaster and sing, with no-hang-ups, some of the tunes of the opera you’re about to see

45 minutes before the performance, Foyer Favart

Sunday 7th March at 15pm

The Relaxed performances offer a supportive and relaxed atmosphere in which everyone can express their emotions comfortably and enjoy the show. These performances are particularly suited for people with autism, a psychic or mental disability, and Alzheimer’s. The Opéra Comique staff and the volunteers from Ciné-ma-différence*, distinguishable by their yellow jackets, are there to make sure that everyone in the audience, disabled or not, feels welcome.

Distribution

Musical direction Pierre Dumoussaud

Stage direction Michel Fau

Decors Emmanuel Charles

Costumes Diane Belugou

Lights Joël Fabing

Hélène Marie–Nicole Lemieux

Pâris Philippe Talbot

Oreste Kangmin Justin Kim

Ménélas Michel Fau

Agamemnon Franck Leguérinel

Calchas Jean-Claude Saragosse

Achille Pierre-Emmanuel Roubet

Ajax Premier Thomas Morris

Ajax Deuxième Yoann Dubruque

Loena Sarah Jouffroy

Philocome Didier Deconinck

Choir Les éléments

Orchestra Les Frivolités Parisiennes

Coproduction Opéra de Lausanne, Opéra Comique, Opéra Royal de Wallonie

News related

The 2021 season in less than 2 minutes!

04 October 2020

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