Conductor

Chorus Director

The heir of a fictional kingdom suffers from overwhelming sadness; but when Fata Morgana, a witch, inadvertently trips and falls, he suddenly doubles up with laughter. The offended witch curses the prince, forcing him to embark on a quest for happiness in the form of three oranges. His epic journey is replete with transformed princesses and wild card games, with an angry cook and monstrous rat for good measure. Drawing inspiration from a whimsical commedia dell’arte piece by Carlo Gozzi, the composer wrote a sarcastic and poetic libretto. Prokofiev’s lively style is undeniably catchy, placing the orchestra at the centre as a legitimate character. His musical landscape is eclectic, unpredictable, sweeping everything up in frenzy. This lively burlesque, satirical, and fantasy piece is directed by Laurent Pelly, and led by the sharp hand of internationally renowned conductor Dmitry Matvienko.

The Love for Three Oranges

Opéra National de Lyon

Madame Angot's Daughter is a successful 19th century comic opera, written by Charles Lecocq in the style of his greatest rival, Jacques Offenbach. This love story features Clairette, a sharp-tongued orphan, and Pomponnet, the neighborhood's hairdresser – a nice man deemed unattractive by Clairette. While these two are fictitious, some other characters actually existed: the rebel poet Ange Pitou, actress Mademoiselle Lange, and a whole other range of Parisian figures. The story takes place at the end of the French Revolution, when the Incroyables and Merveilleuses ruled over the French capital as it was slowly recovering from the Reign of Terror. In this frenzied atmosphere, sweet romance and humorous ensemble numbers go hand in hand.

Madame Angot’s Daughter

Opéra National De Lyon

Enjoy a suspended moment under the majestic curve of the Basilique Saint-Bonaventure’s arches, filled with the voices of our Chorus’ performers.

A cappella chorus

Saint Bonaventure Basilica of Lyon

Based on Victor Hugo’s play, Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia is a powder keg of horrendous crimes, fierce passion, and rivalry between powerful 18th-century Italian leaders. The notoriously cruel Lucrezia Borgia must fight for her independence and reputation, tarnished by slander and jealousy, while protecting her heart-wrenching secret. The piece paints the portrait of a determined, powerful woman, reduced to criminal revenge by a society which forbids her from straying from her path. A true epitome of bel canto, the melodramatic opera genre is embodied by large ensembles and arias replete with vocal prowess. The lead must be dazzlingly virtuosic; at the Lyon Opera, it is sung by phenomenal soprano Lidia Friedman, in a production directed by Tatjana Gürbaca. Following L’Incoronazione di Poppea and The Girl of the Golden West, Gürbaca continues her exploration of major opera sagas with her Lucrezia Borgia.

Lucrezia Borgia

Based on Gogol’s piece, May Night takes place in a quaint village where the peace is joyfully disturbed by a conflict between a father and his son, the former being opposed to the latter’s wedding. Fortunately, in addition to being charming and fiercely generous, the son is incomparably cunning. Supernatural layers round off the plot: an abandoned house, a lake haunted by a witch, and waters full of magic creatures. Rimsky-Korsakov’s second opera is a fairy tale for all, with humorous twists and turns, ecstatic lovers rendezvousing, and satirical village scenes. Conducted by the dazzling Timur Zangiev, this truly unique piece, replete with charming melodies and traditional music, is making its French debut in a production directed by Christof Loy. Following Peter Grimes and Louise, Christof Loy, who was named Director of the Year at the Opera Awards 2024, tackles this generational conflict with his usual psychological finesse.

Conductor, Chorus Director

Benedict Kearns

Events

Upcoming events

Dec 14, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027

Madame Angot’s Daughter · Opéra National De Lyon

12 - 13 Feb, 2027

A cappella chorus · Opéra National De Lyon

Mar 20 - Apr 5, 2027

Lucrezia Borgia · Opéra National De Lyon

Mar 20 - Apr 5, 2027

Lucrezia Borgia · Opéra National De Lyon

3 - 16 May, 2027

May Night · Opéra National De Lyon

Past events

4 - 20 Oct, 2026

The Love for Three Oranges · Opéra National De Lyon

Future and recently performed repertoire

Conductor in Madame Angot's Daughter by Lecocq

Opéra National De Lyon

About

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