La Belle Hélène

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