Dialogues des Carmélites
Intro
Dialogues des Carmélites
Francis Poulenc
From 08/03/2008 in Antwerp - from 02/04/2008 in Ghent
- Musical direction: Nicolas Krüger
- Director: Robert Carsen
- Blanche: Olga Pasichnyk
- Marquis de la Force: Christian Tréguier
- Chevalier de la Force: Martial Defontaine
- Soeur Constance: Hendrickje Van Kerckhove
Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites takes us within the closed setting of a Carmelite convent at the time of the French Revolution. The music draws from a very human emotional journey. Flanders Opera presents the work in the impressive productiPoulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites takes us within the closed setting of a Carmelite convent at the time of the French Revolution. Poulenc, who had already written religious choir music in the 1930s, was strongly moved by Georges Bernanos’s play which he had seen several times. At the centre of Bernanos’ play and the novel on which it is based, Die letzte am Schafott by Gertrud von Le Fort, stands Blanche, a girl who joins the Carmelites in fear of the world outside. In the convent she learns that a religious calling is more than a simple transaction with God, namely security and stability in exchange for piety and obedience. Blanche learns to accept her personal fears, but leaves the religious order when it appears that the violence of the French Revolution would not stop at the walls of the convent. Out of courage and loyalty, she eventually decides to follow the sisters to the scaffold. The story is based on a true story, preserved by the only surviving nun from a convent community in Compiègne. However much the opera is concerned with religious experience, the music often draws from a very human emotional journey. For the female title role, in which Poulenc saw so much of himself, the composer created one of the most beautiful soprano parts of his entire oeuvre. Flanders Opera presents the work in the impressive production by Robert Carsen.on by Robert Carsen.
Practical
Surtitles: Dutch.
Team
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Musical direction
Nicolas Krüger
- Director
-
Set design
Michael Levine
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Costumes
Falk Bauer
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Lightning
Jean Kalman
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Choreography
Philippe Giraudeau
- Chorus master
- Blanche
- Marquis de la Force
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Chevalier de la Force
Martial Defontaine
- Soeur Constance
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Madam de Croissy
Nadine Denize
- Madame Lidoine
- Mère Marie
- Mère Jeanne
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Soeur Mathilde
Julie Bailly
- L'aumônier
- Le Geôlier
- Premier Commissaire
- Deuxième Commissaire
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Officier
Guido Verbelen
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Thierry
Patrick Cromheeke
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Monsieur Javelinot
Jung-Kun Oh
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Symfonisch Orkest en Koor van de Vlaamse Opera
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