Cast
An opera in three acts to a libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa, premiered at La Scala in Milan in 1796.
New Production of the Royal Opera
Franco Fagioli Romeo
Adèle Charvet Juliette
Krystian Adam Evrard
Valentino Buzza Théobald
Nicolò Balducci Gilbert
Florie Valiquette Mathilde
Choeur de l'Opéra Royal
Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal
Under the patronage of Aline Foriel-Destezet
Stefan Plewniak Conductor
Gilles Rico Director
Roland Fontaine Stage sets
Christian Lacroix Costumes
Bertrand Couderc Lights
Performance in Italian with French and English surtitles.
The interview with Laurent Brunner is available here
Click here to watch the video presentation of the show's sets by Rolland Fontaine
Presentation
Napoleon’s favourite opera
Who could fail to be captivated by the love of Romeo and Juliet? Certainly not Napoleon, the great man of war with a little-known passion for the arts and Italian opera. Franco Fagioli and Adèle Charvet reform the formidable duo of the castrato Crescentini and contralto Grassini in this opera by Zingarelli.
Napoleon’s love of opera knew no bounds. Won over by the opera Romeo and Juliet, the great lover of music sent for a young Italian star, the contralto Giuseppina Grassini, and the most dazzling castrato, Girolamo Crescentini, the only singer ever to bring the Emperor to tears. Invited to France between 1806 and 1812, Crescentini put on glorious evening performances in the Imperial Chapel of the Tuileries, accompanied by Grassini, who was appointed Principal Singer to his Majesty the Emperor – and became his mistress. Napoleon’s passion for music included Italian opera, as demonstrated by the 143 concerts by Italian soloists performed at the Court between 1810 and 1815!
Grassini and Crescentini’s hobbyhorse was the opera Giulietta e Romeo by Zingarelli, premiered at La Scala in 1796 before being performed on numerous occasions in Paris before Napoleon by his two favourite singers. «They arouse heroism within me», Napoleon would say. This duo of Empire stars comes back to life with Franco Fagioli and Adèle Charvet, resurrecting this opera by Zingarelli – one entirely forgotten despite triumphing throughout Europe for three decades thanks to a sumptuous Bel Canto. This is Napoleon’s Opera!
The Royal Opera Productions / Château de Versailles Spectacles
and DVD available in Château de Versailles Spectacles collection
Wednesday 18th October " 15 minutes with" at 7.30pm (to be confirmed)
On presentation of your ticket for that evening and subject to availability.
Franco-Flemish two-manual harpsichord based on the Ruckers-Taskin in the Musée de la Musique by Marc Ducornet and Emmanuel Danset (Paris) created in 2014 for Château de Versailles Spectacles.
The Centre for baroque Music in Versailles is making available its collection of sets created by Antoine Fontaine.
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Prices
Catégorie 3
Catégorie 2
Catégorie 1
Prestige
Prestige VIP
PRESTIGE VIP CATEGORY : Best seats in house with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.
PRESTIGE CATEGORY : Excellent seats with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.
REDUCED RATE applicable to under 26s, Chateau de Versailles Spectacles card holders and groups of more than 10 people (excluding special company offer).
To ensure the best welcome possible, people with limited mobility are advised to book their seats by telephone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89.
In case of any technical problem, the box office service remain available to complete your order by phone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89 (Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm) or in our box office-shop (3 bis rue des Réservoirs, 78000 Versailles ; Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturdays with concerts or shows except during the Musical Fountains Shows, from 2pm to 5pm).
