Massenet is the composer who did the most to establish the Opéra-Comique as a major performing arts center. Paradoxically, his adaptation of Goethe's first novel was rejected by the director at the time, who preferred to offer his bourgeois audiences happy love stories. The Viennese triumph of Werther quickly opened the doors to our institution, where it has become one of the most performed titles.

Werther

National Theatre of the Opera Comique

In Seville, Carmen seduces the young brigadier Don José before their passion turns to tragedy. "She leaves him, he kills her": Bizet's plot echoes a tragically recurring reality, making Carmen more political than ever. Jeanne Desoubeaux and a company of ten artists take over the urban space, where public debate can unfold. The Opéra-Comique invites audiences to this lyrical walk, from the Cité internationale des Arts to the Collège François Couperin, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris.

Jean-Christophe Lanièce

Events

Upcoming events

24 - 27 Sep, 2026

Carmen: itinerant opera-landscape · Opéra Comique

Past events

19 - 29 Jan, 2026

Werther · Opéra Comique

Future and recently performed repertoire

Singer in Carmen by Bizet

Opéra Comique

Johann in Werther by Massenet

Opéra Comique

About

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