Thomas Jolly's Eliogabalo Opens Paris Opera Season
Thomas Jolly, the 34-year-old French director known for his rock-and-techno Richard III, made his opera debut with Francesco Cavalli's Eliogabalo at the Opéra Garnier, opening the 2016-2017 season. The opera, composed in 1668 but never performed in Cavalli's lifetime, was rejected by the Grimani family for its licentious libretto and lack of happy ending. Jolly's staging, with sets by Thibaut Fack, lights by Antoine Travert, and costumes by Gareth Pugh, emphasized the work's sung-theatre quality, drawing on Cavalli's expressive recitative. Countertenor Franco Fagioli played the title role of the depraved Roman emperor Heliogabalus, with Nadine Sierra as Gemmira and Paul Groves as Alexander Severus. Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon conducted the Cappella Mediterranea orchestra, praised for its sensual and lyrical playing. The production, advised by dramaturge Corinne Meyniel, was noted for its platform boots and Lady Gaga-esque costumes but criticized for not fully capturing the anarchic fury of Heliogabalus or connecting to contemporary Syria.
Key facts
- Thomas Jolly directed Cavalli's Eliogabalo at Opéra Garnier for the 2016-2017 season opening.
- Cavalli's Eliogabalo was composed in 1668 but never performed until 1999 in Crema.
- The opera was rejected by the Grimani family for its scabrous libretto and lack of lieto fine.
- Franco Fagioli performed the role of Eliogabalo as a countertenor.
- Nadine Sierra played Gemmira, Paul Groves played Alessandro (Alexander Severus).
- Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon conducted Cappella Mediterranea and Chœur de Chambre de Namur.
- Costumes were designed by Gareth Pugh, sets by Thibaut Fack, lights by Antoine Travert.
- The production was criticized for not connecting Heliogabalus's fury to anarchism or contemporary Syria.
Entities
Artists
- Thomas Jolly
- Francesco Cavalli
- Franco Fagioli
- Nadine Sierra
- Paul Groves
- Mariana Flores
- Emiliano Gonzalez Toro
- Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon
- Gareth Pugh
- Thibaut Fack
- Antoine Travert
- Corinne Meyniel
- Malcom Edwards
- Valer Sabadus
- Elin Rombo
- Matthew Newlin
- Scott Conner
- Antonin Artaud
- Alma Tadema
- Louis Feuillade
- Vopiscus
- Monteverdi
- Mazarin
- Louis XIV
- Marie-Thérèse
- Stéphane Lissner
- Shakespeare
- Caracalla
- Macrin
- Zoticos
- Alexander Severus
- Heliogabalus
- Varius Avitus Bassianus
Institutions
- Opéra de Paris
- Opéra Garnier
- Théâtre San Domenico de Crema
- La Monnaie
- Festival d'Avignon
- Cappella Mediterranea
- Chœur de Chambre de Namur
- Grimani
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Crema
- Italy
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Avignon
- Rome
- Emèse (Homs)
- Syria
- Venice
- Persia
Sources
- artpress —