Discover the 2016-2017 season!
Stéphane Lissner´s second season at the head of the Paris Opera and already the last for Benjamin Millepied, director of dance, fortunately to be replaced by Aurélie Dupont.
Dance is predominant at the Palais Garnier, but some opera productions are more than worth a visit as they are quite prestigious. Beside the world premiere of Luca Francesconi (with Julie Fuchs, Cyrille Dubois, Laurent Naouri …), the cream of French opera singers is also well represented with Véronique Gens and Stanislas Barbeyrac in the return of Iphigénie en Tauride by Gluck. Not to mention the concert version of the unusual Beatrice and Benedict by Berlioz where we find Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Sabine Devieilhe and Florian Sempey led by Philippe Jordan. The wonderful conductor and music director of the Opéra de Paris runs this season´s Così fan tutte Mozart whose staging was entrusted to the great choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.
Another anticipated event, the first ever staged opera for the Garnier Opera by Guillaume Gallienne, famous resident of the Comédie Française. However, one of the most anticipated lyrical events is definitely the baroque opera Eliogabalo by Cavalli. The talented Baroque director Leonardo García Alarcón is surrounded by exceptional singers, Franco Fagioli, Valer Sabadus, Nadine Sierra, Paul Groves … Also to be noted, a beautiful series of recitals with grand and exceptional voices: Anja Harteros, Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Flórez, Rolando Villazón or Ludovic Tézier.
But since Paris has one of the world´s best ballet companies, let´s talk about dance! This season again, many performances offer new works to be added to the repertory, including George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham and Williams Forsythe. The strength of the ballet de l’Opéra national de Paris is to alternate modern dance, classical ballet and new creations with the same perfection. Among contemporary choreographers highly acclaimed in recent years, the works of Wayne McGregor and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui with Damien Jalet feature on the program, to the delight of the spectators. Do not miss the fascinating bolero beautifully served in a tribute evening to Ravel or the Tree of Codes, or even the evening dedicated to Jiri Kylián, another choreographer of genius. Lovers of classical ballet will be delighted to discover La Sylphide by Pierre Lacotte. Finally, we must also mention the first arrival of a prestigious company. The Dresden Semperoper Ballet comes to Paris to dance Impressing the Czar, another reason not to delay booking your tickets …
