Marc-André Dalbavie's 'Le Soulier de satin' Premieres at Palais Garnier

Marc-André Dalbavie's opera 'Le Soulier de satin' had its world premiere at the Opéra National de Paris – Palais Garnier on June 5 and 13, 2021, after a year of closure due to the pandemic. Based on Paul Claudel's 11-hour play, the opera condenses the epic into 4 hours and 40 minutes of metatonal music. The libretto by Raphaële Fleury preserves Claudel's rhythmic prose. Directed by Stanislas Nordey, the production uses fairground theatre codes with movable panels and sfumato walls. The cast includes Ève-Maud Hubeaux as Doña Prouhèze, Luca Pisaroni as Don Rodrigue, Max Emanuel Cenčić as the Guardian Angel, and Fanny Ardant in a cameo. The electronic continuum incorporates rare instruments like cymbalum, quarter-tone piano, and bonangs, evoking a supernatural gamelan. The opera is available for free streaming on Opéra chez soi and Medici.tv for 48 hours from June 13.