Madame Butterfly♪, G. Puccini, the 13.
from Thursday 11 to Monday 15 July 2024,
4 nights
Arrangement 13
Arrangement 13
Pelléas et Mélisande, C. Debussy, the 12.
Susanna Mälkki - Katie Mitchell
Julia Bullock, Lucile Richardot, Huw Montague Rendall, Laurent Naouri
Grand Théâtre de Provence
Madame Butterfly
G. Puccini
G. Puccini
"Madama Butterfly" was, according to Puccini’s own statement, Puccini’s favorite work: "...of all the operas I have written, the most deeply felt and suggestive. After the composer had approached the Far Eastern subject with zeal, he set about studying Japanese musical culture and the customs and traditions of the country with great energy. He even sought out a Japanese actress who was touring Europe to listen to the timbre of the Japanese female voice. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) masterfully blended his own style with authentic Japanese melodies and the use of exotic instruments, giving the opera its unmistakable atmosphere.
Guilt, atonement and the blossoming of a deep love are the core themes of the work. The tragic figure of the Butterfly is at the center of the action: Puccini completes her development from happy bride to abandoned mother and finally to suicide victim with dreamy, ecstatic melodies and arias. All the other characters in the piece, even the male lead character Pinkerton, are vocally and action-determining rather than marginal figures.
As devastating as the premiere was for the composer in February 1904 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, "Madama Butterfly" began its great triumphal march around the world in a revised version in May 1904 in Brescia.
Guilt, atonement and the blossoming of a deep love are the core themes of the work. The tragic figure of the Butterfly is at the center of the action: Puccini completes her development from happy bride to abandoned mother and finally to suicide victim with dreamy, ecstatic melodies and arias. All the other characters in the piece, even the male lead character Pinkerton, are vocally and action-determining rather than marginal figures.
As devastating as the premiere was for the composer in February 1904 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, "Madama Butterfly" began its great triumphal march around the world in a revised version in May 1904 in Brescia.
Daniele Rustioni - Andrea Breth
Ermonela Jaho, Mihoko Fujimura, Adam Smith, Lionel Lhote
Orchestre de l’Opéra de Lyon
Orchestre de l’Opéra de Lyon
Théâtre de l’Archevêché
Concert de l’Orchestre de Paris, the 14.
Klaus Mäkelä♪
Klaus Mäkelä
Exception, talent, Wunderkind. These are the first associations when the Finn Klaus Mäkelä (*1996) is described. For hardly any musical profession in the classical music scene is more associated with maturity than that of a conductor. Therefore, Mäkelä’s appearance on the stages of this world turns many things upside down. Young, thoughtful, lively and with an impressive presence, the conductor has dedicated himself to music. At the age of less than 30, he has reached the top of several renowned orchestras: chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, music director of the Orchestre de Paris and future chief conductor of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra. Although he will not assume this post until 2027, he is already familiarising himself with the musicians as Artistic Partner. He can also be heard as a guest conductor with the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony and New York Philharmonic.
The large footprints of his predecessors – von Karajan, Sir Solti, Barenboim, Järvi and Harding, to name but a few – do not seem to frighten him in any way. Rather, he wants to explore his own experiences and feelings through the music and, equally, to allow the audience to do the same. So Klaus Mäkelä is a conductor who is sure to make a big impact in the future!
The large footprints of his predecessors – von Karajan, Sir Solti, Barenboim, Järvi and Harding, to name but a few – do not seem to frighten him in any way. Rather, he wants to explore his own experiences and feelings through the music and, equally, to allow the audience to do the same. So Klaus Mäkelä is a conductor who is sure to make a big impact in the future!
Sopran: Christiane Karg
Grand Théâtre de Provence
Hotel informations for Aix-en-Provence 13
Le Pigonnet *****
Le Pigonnet ***** is a peaceful and relaxing 5 star hotel offering 49 air-conditioned rooms, fifteen minutes walk from the old city centre and from the Théâtre de Provence. You will be seduced by its Provencal, XVIIIth century style. Le Pigonnet hotel is tastefully furnished and has its own splendid garden with swimming-pool and gourmet restaurant.
Aquabella ****
Set in a beautiful Mediterranean garden, Hotel Aquabella & SPA **** is located in the center of Aix-en-Provence, just a few minutes walk from the old town. All 112 Provençal-style rooms have air conditioning and are comfortably furnished in a modern style. The restaurant "L’Orangerie" will spoil you with Mediterranean cuisine, during the summer months you can relax by the pool.
All-inclusive price per person for Aix-en-Provence 13
Single room/ night
Le Pigonnet
3.520,- Euro
180-290,- Euro
Aquabella
3.050,- Euro
160-220,- Euro
The price includes
Overnights including breakfast, good opera tickets, scheduled flight to/from Marseille, return taxi transfers, travel cancellation expenses insurance.