Intro

Candide

Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990)

• Musical direction: Yannis Pouspourikas
• Director: Nigel Lowery
• Herinstudering: Victoria Pfortmüller
• Candide: Michael Spyres
• Cunegonde: Leah Partridge
• Governor/ Vanderdendur/ Ragotsky: Chris Merritt

The eternal optimist?

Candide is a young and naive optimist who sets out in search of his supposedly dead sweetheart Cunegonde. His odyssey to the lost paradise takes him through a world of depravity, destruction and madness. He is only slowly cured of his persistent belief that the world is perfectly organised.

The charismatic composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein based his Candide on Voltaire’s literary and philosophical masterpiece of that name. Following his successes on Broadway he saw this, his debut comic opera, as a chance to settle accounts with stupidity and misplaced optimism. Director Nigel Lowery is reviving this ‘wonderfully perverse’ (De Standaard) production full of biting humour and satirical nudges for the Flanders Opera. ‘Lowery's Monty Python approach keeps a smile on our faces throughout’ (Financial Times).

Read the full synopsis as pdf

Calendar

Vlaamse Opera Antwerpen

• Tue 18 Jun 2013 - 20:00 Buy tickets
• Thu 20 Jun 2013 - 20:00 Backstage Buy tickets
• Sat 22 Jun 2013 - 20:00 Buy tickets
• Sun 23 Jun 2013 - 15:00 Buy tickets
• Wed 26 Jun 2013 - 20:00 Buy tickets
• Fri 28 Jun 2013 - 20:00 Backstage Buy tickets

Team

Nigel Lowery needs little introduction following the success of his Candide. Semiramide was also a hit at the Flanders Opera and its success even took it to the Edinburgh International Festival. Several top performers from last time will be appearing again: Michael Spyres takes on the character of the lovable Candide and Graham Valentine joins the cast with his extraordinary portrayal of the teacher Pangloss. The ‘pure magic’ (Financial Times) that Yannis Pouspourikas previously achieved with the Flanders Opera Symphony Orchestra promises a spectacular end to the season.

• Musical direction
  Yannis Pouspourikas
• Director
  Nigel Lowery
• Set design
  Nigel Lowery
• Costumes
  Nigel Lowery
• Lightning
  Lothar Baumgarte
• Dramaturgy
  Ute Haferburg
• Herinstudering
  Victoria Pfortmüller
• Chorus master
  Yannis Pouspourikas
• Choir
  Koor van de Vlaamse Opera
• Orchestra
  Symfonisch Orkest van de Vlaamse Opera
•  
• Candide
  Michael Spyres
• Cunegonde
  Leah Partridge
• Governor/ Vanderdendur/ Ragotsky
  Chris Merritt
• Old Lady
  Carole Wilson
• Pangloss / Martin
  Graham Valentine
• Maximilian
  Andrew Ashwin
• Paquette
  Marija Jokovic
• Bear Keeper/ Inquisitor 2/ Judge/ Tsar Ivan/ Pilgrim 1
  Adrian Fisher
• Cosmetic Merchant/ Inquisitor 1/ Judge/ Señor 1/ Charles Edward
  Gijs Van der Linden
• Doctor/ Inquisitor 3/ Judge/ Stanislaus
  Gevorg Grigoryan
• Alchemist/ Señor 2/ Sultan Achmet/ Crook
  Michael J. Scott
• Junkman / Hermann Augustus
  Toby Girling

PLUS