Paris summer festivals: Palazzetto Bru Zane revives French Romantic opera, Ircam's Manifeste honors Turing and Xenakis

In June 2022, two Paris festivals explore music's past and future. The Palazzetto Bru Zane Festival (June 1–22) revives forgotten French Romantic operas: Saint-Saëns' 'Phryné' at the Opéra Comique, Spontini's 'La Vestale' and Franck's 'Hulda' at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. 'Hulda', never performed in Franck's lifetime, received a concert performance for his bicentenary, revealing a violent, sensual work contradicting his 'Pater Seraphicus' legend. Meanwhile, the Ircam's Manifeste festival (until June 30) honors visionaries Alan Turing and Iannis Xenakis (centenary). Pierre Jodlowski's 'Alan T.' inverts the Imitation Game, with a machine questioning a soprano. Xenakis' 'Polytope de Cluny' (1972) is reconstructed at Ircam after an 8-year renovation, using a recovered 8th track to control 600 flashes, 300 mirrors, and three lasers. The festival also features Lina Lapelytė's 'The Mutes' at Lafayette Anticipations, challenging classical singing conventions.