Friday, January 7, 2022

The Era of Marie Antoinette, Rediscovered

 From Broadway World:

The Era of Marie Antoinette, Rediscovered, the theme of Opera Lafayette's 2022 season, willl feature three programs of French music from the 1760's through 1780's and a unique focus on its resonance in the Americas...Silvain, a fully staged modern premiere of Grétry's 1770 opera, much admired by Marie Antoinette, and the first opera performed in New Orleans (1796)....This one-act opéra-comique from 1770 by André Grétry, with a libretto by Jean-François Marmontel, is restaged in the 19th century American Southwest. The politics of its pastoral theme, centered upon certain rights of French peasants to use land owned by the nobles, resonate with historical conflicts in this hemisphere. Silvain was a favorite of Marie Antoinette and one of the most popular of Grétry's early operas. It was also the first opera to be performed in New Orleans in 1796. The production features the Opera Lafayette Orchestra conducted by Artistic Director Ryan Brown and is directed by the young Mexican filmmaker Tania Hernandez Velasco, with costume design by Missy West and lighting and projection design by Josh Higgason. The cast includes Sophia Burgos (Hélène), Victor Sicard (Dolmon, Fils ainé, sous le nom de Silvain), Samantha Louis-Jean (Pauline), Teresa Castillo (Lucette), Jehú Otero (Bazile), and Nathan Berg (Dolmon père). Sung in French, with dialogue in English, and English supertitles. (Read more.)
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