Choir Master

Un florilège de grandes pages du répertoire symphonique pour le concert traditionnel du 14 juillet en plein air.

Concert du 14 juillet

Hôtel de Ville

Verdi's Four Sacred Pieces represent the composer's spiritual testament and achieve unprecedented dramatic power – from the poignant lyricism of the Ave Maria to the monumentality of the Te Deum . They will be performed by the Chorus of the Montpellier National Opera, prepared by Noëlle Gény. In counterpoint, Schubert's Symphony No. 5 , composed at the age of 19 in the euphoria of his discovery of Mozart, embodies a vibrant homage to Viennese classicism. Under the sensitive direction of Italian conductor Clelia Cafiero, the strings dialogue with Mozartian transparency, while the woodwinds bring a pastoral hue to this youthful work that adopts romantic harmonic colors. Between fervor and light, an evening where the sacred is by turns intimate and grandiose.

Sacred Pieces

Opéra Comédie

Brahms was not a symphonist like the others. Throughout his life, he wrote magnificent choral music, rediscovering Schütz and Bach, to whom, like Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Schumann, he felt a deep connection. Long before writing his First Symphony , his experience with the choir brought him gravity and jubilation, all human feelings contained in the seven movements of A German Requiem , three of which—the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th—are fugues reminiscent of Handel. After reaching the great German cities gripped by the fever of choral singing, this requiem of hope was heard in April 1873 in the British capital. Having become a pillar of the choral repertoire, it promises divine clemency. The two arias sung by baritone Stéphane Degout contribute powerfully to this spiritual happiness that he proclaims with faith.

A German Requiem

Opéra Berlioz

A devilish seducer defying both God and society, Don Giovanni has become the symbol of the libertine with a formidable life force for some, and a profane and mendacious cynicism for others. The powerful man combines all the flaws and has fascinated artists and audiences since his creation by Tirso de Molina and Molière, closely followed, in Prague in 1787, by Mozart and da Ponte. The two creators fixed the myth and offered lyric art its first hero transcending the ages. In the staging, Agnès Jaoui achieves a rare balance between comedy and drama, multiplying the expressive power of the work and bringing a renewed vision of the characters. A sparkling ensemble of soloists praises this new co-production bringing together no fewer than three French opera houses. A production not to be missed under any circumstances!

Don Giovanni

The Montpellier National Opera Choir, conducted by Noëlle Gény, reveals all its virtuosity in a repertoire that is dear to its heart. An exceptional concert where the voices will resonate in all their splendor; don't miss this unforgettable encounter with music and emotion!

Montpellier Occitanie National Opera Choir

Agora Le Crès

The Opera Orchestra's Midis Musicales are always a great success with audiences. These short concerts (from 45 minutes to 1 hour) are presented in a warm and friendly atmosphere and will surprise you with the richness of the offerings!

Midi Musical | Montpellier Occitanie National Opera Choir

Considered too realistic at its premiere in 1853, La Traviata remains one of the essential operas in the lyric repertoire. At the end of the first act, Violetta proclaims sempre libera (always free): is this a feminist plea ahead of its time or a tragic illusion? From the ballroom to the confines of the sanatorium, Verdi infuses his masterpiece with ardent music, sometimes breathless, but constantly seeking to free itself from conventions to achieve authentic beauty. Silvia Paoli, one of the great directors of our time, dares a powerful and virtuoso dramaturgical gesture, in total osmosis with the direction of Roderick Cox who brings this iconic score to incandescence, ideally served by the solar soprano of Ruzan Mantashyan and the very remarkable tenor Omer Kobiljak.

La Traviata

The Montpellier National Opera Choir unveils its full virtuosity in a repertoire that is dear to its heart. Under the direction of Noëlle Gény, it will perform, for the greatest pleasure of all, an anthology of great choral pieces from the most beautiful operas… A beautiful musical interlude!

Great pages of opera

Vignette Theater

Among them, parallel trajectories echo each other with poignant force. Korngold and Schoenberg, two major figures in Viennese music, had to flee Nazism. The former found refuge in Hollywood where he revolutionized film music; the latter reconstructed his musical language in the United States. Their works bear the scars of this uprooting, between nostalgia and audacity. Pablo Casals and Roberto Gerhard, Spanish exiles, embody resistance through music. Casals, an opponent of Franco, transformed El cant dels ocells into a hymn of freedom. Gerhard, a disciple of Schoenberg, blended avant-garde and Catalan folklore in a unique style, shaped by his exile in England. Arvo Pärt, Olga Podgaiskaya, and Samir Odeh-Tamimi extend this reflection on wandering and creation. Pärt, forced to leave Soviet Estonia, found refuge in timeless music. Podgaiskaya and Odeh-Tamimi, heirs to these journeys, in turn question boundaries and shifting identities. An evening resonating with the echoes of a torn 20th century and the persistence of a beauty born of absence. A world concert where each note echoes a lost land, but also the hope of a new beginning.

Exiles #2

Fancy a coffee break like no other? The artists of the National Opera Choir and their choirmaster Noëlle Gény offer you a musical (and gourmet!) break during your day. Join us at 2:30 p.m. for a coffee before the concert!

Coffee Break #2

Pure joy! This is the musical program Mozart set for himself in his so-called "Coronation Mass," written in March 1779. In reality, it resounded in Salzburg Cathedral for Easter that same year, and it was only after the composer's death that it became the essential accompaniment for the weddings of crowned heads. The graceful vocal quartet clearly alternates with jubilant, swift choirs, the two concertante oboes adding a festive touch to the ensemble.

Coronation Mass

With Falstaff , his final opera, Verdi created a dazzling comedy, punctuated by incisive dialogue and sparkling music. In this burlesque farce, the pot-bellied, boastful knight believes he can seduce with impunity, but he comes up against the intelligence and solidarity of women. David Hermann turns it into a biting satire of toxic masculinity, where intrigues, disguises, and misunderstandings follow one another in an effervescent production that is somewhere between burlesque and social critique. Carried by the alert direction of Michael Schønwandt—returning, to our great delight, at the helm of the Orchestre de Montpellier—Verdi's teeming score unleashes its jubilant energy: whirling ensembles, bouncy rhythms, and a dizzying final fugue that reminds us, with Falstaff , that "everything in the world is a farce"!

Falstaff

Coffee Break #1

Presented as a French premiere, Hwajeonga is an exceptional artistic event, the result of a co-production with the Korean National Opera. This work, where intimate dialogue with grand history resonates with female voices within a narrative often written from a male perspective.

The Hwajeonga Flower Opera

On the program: dazzling and unforgettable pieces by some of the biggest names in the American repertoire, a blend of energy, humor, and emotion. Soprano Nombulelo Yende, who captivated Montpellier audiences last season, will return alongside baritone Eric Greene. They will lend their voices to some of the most beautiful arias, accompanied by the Chorus of the National Opera, under the enthusiastic baton of Roderick Cox, the American music director who conducts this program as if inviting friends over.

EPSG:4326

New Year's Concert

Le Corum

Since its creation in 1990, Opéra Junior has established itself as an exceptional ensemble, passionately transmitting the art of opera to younger generations, nurturing voices and revealing talent season after season. For this exceptional concert, all the singers of Opéra Junior will take to the stage of the Opéra Berlioz, from the shy young beginners to the seasoned veterans! Under the direction of Jérôme Pillement and Albert Alcaraz, they will perform a deliberately diverse repertoire – from opera and sacred music to musical theatre, world music, and contemporary works. This concert celebrates, with brilliance and emotion, a remarkable human and artistic adventure.

Junior Opera, the grand concert

The Opera Choir invites children to discover the power of operatic voices through a mini-concert where great choral works resonate.

Short Course: Choir, Opera, National Orchestra of Montpellier Occitanie

Count Almaviva covets Susanna, the fiancée of his valet Figaro. To thwart their master's schemes, the two young lovers will turn everything upside down, dragging the Countess, the jealous, the naive, and the opportunists into their wake. From this cascading intrigue, Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, inspired by Beaumarchais, craft a comedy that is both funny and profound. Deception, rivalries, thwarted love, jealousy, and forgiveness: in a single day, all the characters grapple with their desires and contradictions,   and we readily recognize our own in them.

The Marriage of Figaro

Xóchitl, a young Mexican woman, travels to Venice to get married. But her encounter with a mysterious man claiming to be the Mexican emperor Moctezuma transforms her stay into a journey suspended between dream and reality. During the night, troubled by ancestral spirits, carnival celebrations, and a violent storm, she must choose between the weight of the past and the freedom to build her own future.

Hotel Moctezuma

Orpheus descends to the Underworld to bring Eurydice back to life. His only weapon: his voice, and the power of his song. This foundational myth was transformed by Monteverdi in 1607 into one of the first masterpieces in the history of opera, a work where the music not merely accompanies the drama, but is its very driving force. More than four centuries later, L'Orfeo has lost none of its evocative power. Its instrumental colors, its deeply felt recitatives, and its expressive choruses still speak directly to the emotions. The Jeune Orchestre Baroque Européen, under the direction of Sylvain Sartre and Margaux Blanchard, brings to this score the freshness and commitment of a new generation of musicians trained in the demands of the early style.

Orfeo

The Chorus of the Montpellier National Opera, under the direction of Noëlle Gény, showcases its virtuosity in a repertoire close to its heart.  An exceptional concert where the voices will resonate in all their splendor; don't miss this unforgettable encounter with music and emotion!

Choir of the Montpellier Occitanie National Opera

Cathedral of Saint Fulcran

Following the success of his previous appearances, conductor Diego Ceretta is delighted to reunite with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra national Montpellier Occitanie, prepared by Noëlle Gény. He offers us a rare and contrasting diptych, where the genius of Beethoven engages in dialogue with the tragic fervor of Cherubini.

Choir Master

Noëlle Gény

Events

Upcoming events

20 - 22 Nov, 2026

The Hwajeonga Flower Opera · Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

Dec 31, 2026 - Jan 1, 2027

New Year's Concert · Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

Jan 9, 2027

Junior Opera, the grand concert · Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

Jan 30, 2027

Short Course: Choir, Opera, National Orchestra of Montpellier Occitanie · Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

5 - 11 Mar, 2027

The Marriage of Figaro · Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

Past events

Jul 14, 2026

Concert du 14 juillet · Festival Radio France Occitanie Montpellier

12 - 13 Jun, 2026

Sacred Pieces · Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

About

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