Name: Natalie Dessay & Philippe Cassard
Start: 2025-03-21T20:00:00
Location: Clermont-Ferrand Opera-Theater

Clermont Auvergne Opéra is set to host an extraordinary series of events that celebrate the timeless charm of opera. From masterclasses to thrilling performances, this season promises to enchant audiences with unparalleled musical experiences. Highlights include a singing masterclass led by renowned tenor Florian Laconi, a playful parody of the myth of Medea, and captivating performances of Verdi's 'Il Trovatore.' With esteemed performers like Natalie Dessay and Philippe Cassard, this season is a testament to the enduring allure and versatility of opera. Join us in Clermont-Ferrand for a musical journey that bridges tradition and innovation.

A Grand Celebration of Opera: Clermont Auvergne's Musical Extravaganza

The Clermont Auvergne Opera has unveiled an exciting lineup of events, offering something for every taste this season. From the dramatic narratives of Verdi's Il Trovatore to the enchanting essence of Slavic music, there's an array of performances to captivate audiences. Highlights include a unique take on Rossini's The Barber of Seville, the profound collaboration of Natalie Dessay and Philippe Cassard, and an innovative chamber opera inspired by Aboriginal legends. With competitions and workshops further enriching the calendar, this season promises to be a vibrant celebration of opera and music.

A Journey through Song: The Clermont Auvergne Opera Season Unveiled

As spring blossoms in Clermont-Ferrand, the city becomes a hub of rich operatic experiences. From the exquisite reunion of Natalie Dessay and Philippe Cassard to the whimsical My Little Operas, the array of events offers something for every opera enthusiast. Highlights also include the grand Tosca performance, the prestigious 28th International Opera Singing Competition, and inventive new works like Sophie Lacaze's chamber opera inspired by Aboriginal culture. Join us as we delve into a world where music and storytelling transcend borders, resonating with audiences of all ages.

A Vibrant Opera Season: From Classics to Contemporary Revelations

Natalie Dessay

Philippe Cassard

Clermont Auvergne Opéra

A true hymn to artistic transgression that deconstructs the stereotypes of classical opera, Madame Arthur fait son opéra is a jubilant show where the famous Parisian drag musical cabaret revisits the lyrical repertoire with its unique style.

The artists seize the great pages of opera, reinventing them with panache, humor, provocation, and extravagance. Under the feathers and sequins, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Bizet, and Mozart take on new life, blending vocal virtuosity, lyrical disguises, stage freedom, and burlesque energy.

Accompanied by the piano, Madame Arthur's creatures defy the codes of classical music to offer La Comédie de Clermont a flamboyant evening where lyrical art becomes both festive and subversive.

Madame Arthur fait son opéra

La Comédie de Clermont

The Orchestre national Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, under the direction of Arie van Beek, is teaming up with Clermont Auvergne Opéra to offer you a delightful and unexpected program, combining masterpieces from the repertoire and festive pieces to welcome 2026 with music.

The wonderful British mezzo Grace Durham, winner of the 28th Clermont-Ferrand International Singing Competition, will be the guest of honor. With her powerful voice, she will perform famous arias and pieces specially chosen for the occasion.

Come celebrate the end of the year in the magical atmosphere of the Clermont-Ferrand Opera House and start 2026 on a musical and joyful note.

Concert du Nouvel An

Opéra-Théâtre Clermont-Ferrand

Following the success of Medea and Jason last season, the Les Surprises ensemble continues with Pierre Lebon a new operatic adventure based on Purcell's famous Dido and Aeneas . This creation, which will have the originality of being performed by an all-female vocal team, echoes the historic first performance given in a girls' school.

Six singers, all winners of the last Clermont-Ferrand International Singing Competition, perform all the roles in a production inspired by 17th-century English "masques," combining music, theater, dance, and machinery. Purcell's score is complemented by texts by Virgil and Shakespeare ( Richard III, Macbeth, The Tempest ), creating a total spectacle in which all the artists are simultaneously singers, dancers, actors, instrumentalists, and stage managers. The sea, omnipresent, becomes the moving heart of the story, a reflection of human passions.

Didon et Énée

In this musical show for young audiences, ages 5 and up, which combines singing, music, and live drawing to create a dreamlike and whimsical world, a young boy refuses to do his homework and prefers to give free rein to his imagination. His world is then populated by unusual characters: a flea in a car, a rebellious Puss in Boots, musical angels, and even the great Lustucru. Each encounter fuels a story rich in emotion, oscillating between humor and poetry.

Emma Bertin's drawings, projected in real time, create an evolving setting where colors and shapes bring the hero's adventures to life. The scenography, inspired by Japanese kakemonos, structures the space by integrating masks and screens to represent the imaginary world.

But beyond entertainment, the show questions freedom, imagination, and resistance to norms. It celebrates childlike creativity and the power of dreams, affirming the importance of art in the face of the constraints of reality.

La Courte Paille

Bringing Wim Wenders' cinematic masterpiece to the stage: this is the co[opera]tive's bold gamble.

In a Berlin divided by the Wall, two angels wander among humans, collecting their intimate thoughts. One of them, Damielle, a female character, falls in love with a trapeze artist and chooses to renounce eternity to become human.

In this adaptation, the roles are reversed: humans embody the angels, and puppets symbolize the humans. Grégory Voillemet signs a sensitive and inventive staging, and Othman Louati composes a moving score, where voices and instruments weave an emotional and sensory fresco carried in particular by Marie-Laure Garnier, Romain Dayez and the Ensemble Miroirs Étendus.

Les Ailes du désir

There is perhaps nothing simpler than La Bohème and yet nothing more moving: a young man and a young girl meet, fall in love, are separated by life and yet find each other again before a final farewell.

In this work, Puccini was able to create unforgettable images: Mimi entering, like a muse, into the poet's room, the love duet under the moon, the illuminated Grand Café Momus, the impossible farewells in the icy morning, death finally on a miserable bed.

La Bohème evokes what haunts us all: love that blazes and carries us to heaven, youth that flees, and time that destroys everything. In 1896, Puccini still had many masterpieces ahead of him, but perhaps he would never again find this clarity and splendor of melody.

La Bohème

Maison de la Culture Clermont-Ferrand

In 1921, Maurice Ravel bought a quaint little house in the small town of Montfort-l'Amaury, near Paris. He moved in with his books, his cat, his bird, Chinese vases, Japanese prints, and other oddities. But since his mother's death, he had to get used to waking up alone, doing his laundry, preparing his breakfast... Maurice smokes (far too much), Maurice composes, Maurice has insomnia, Maurice chooses his tie, Maurice plays with his cat... these are the memories that the doctor treasures of his dear friend and shares with us.

Explore the wonderful world of this fabulous composer, whose 150th birthday is celebrated in 2025, with puppeteer Charlotte Devyver, pianists Sergei Redkin and Christia Hudziy, and baritone Guillaume Paire.

A show by Sophie van der Stegen to introduce young and old to the poetic work of Maurice Ravel, an original creation by the Artichoke Company, founded in 2011, whose objective is to open classical music to all audiences, with humor and poetry.

Maurice, piano et marionnette

A flame setting bodies and hearts ablaze, Don Giovanni consumes and consumes women in a frantic race that makes him feel alive. But in these endless conquests, isn't it, more than pleasure, the eager search for challenges that drives him? Isn't he a mirror of our addiction to desire, excitement, and consumption that leads us to the abyss?

For his staging of this essential Mozart opera, Jean-Yves Ruf invites the musicians of Julien Chauvin's Concert de la Loge onto the stage, in a unique scenography that favors all the porosity between instrumentalists and soloists. A complex version of Don Giovanni where the character oscillates between his inner slopes.

For this opera, ARCAL has opted for youth, with the cream of the rising generation of French singers for a vibrant and contemporary interpretation of this timeless myth.

Don Giovanni

Beyond its apparent grandeur, Aida is above all a drama of the intimate, a love triangle between Amneris, a woman of power; Aida, the dominated foreigner; and Radamès, torn between glory, patriotic duty, and forbidden love. The opera explores attachment to the land, uprooting, and the dream of elsewhere.

In this contemporary reinterpretation, the figures of Ramfis and Amonasro merge into a single, two-faced character: "The Man in the Shadows," the embodiment of the forces that crush human passions. The production relies on four singers and three musicians, including an electronic musician, blending original vocal lines with contemporary sonic influences for an Aida that is both faithful to Verdi and resolutely modern.

Aïda déchaînée

In 2026, Clermont Auvergne Opéra invites you to an exceptional event!
The goal is simple: to introduce you to the backstage of opera houses and the lyrical art in a fun and interactive way! How? By exploring the secrets of the wings or by participating in tours, workshops, conferences and meetings with artists and technicians. A multitude of activities to share to better understand the professions and the magic that operate behind each performance.

You will also discover a musical tale ( from 3 years old) adapted from the France Musique podcast Les Aventures d' Octave et Mélo, the fruit of the creative work of Adèle Molle, who will lead workshops this season with the residents of the Quartier Saint-Jacques, in conjunction with the Centre Georges Brassens.

The Emmanuel Chabrier Conservatory will also participate in this event, which is always popular with the public.

Tous à l’Opéra!

Winners of the 28th Clermont-Ferrand International Singing Competition.

Léontine Maridat-Zimmerlin and Louis Dechambre embody a new generation of talented and committed opera artists. Members of the Generation Opera 25-26 class, they stand out for their remarkable careers and multidisciplinary approach.

Winners of the latest edition of the Clermont-Ferrand International Singing Competition, which for the very first time rewarded a piano-voice duo, Léontine and Louis perfectly illustrate the youth and audacity of the current lyric scene.

For this recital, the duo will benefit from an artistic residency at the Château de Parentignat and the advice of pianist Antoine Palloc.

Duo Piano – Voix

Join us at the Clermont-Ferrand Opera House for a sneak preview of the highlights of the upcoming opera season! A friendly evening filled with musical surprises, screenings, and encounters with the artists and the Clermont Auvergne Opera team.

Come share our enthusiasm for a season dedicated to creation, emotion and the great works of the repertoire!

Présentation de la saison 2026/2027

The immense Natalie Dessay reunites on the stage of the Opéra-Théâtre with her long-time accomplice, Philippe Cassard , for a musical program that will take us from France to America.

Natalie Dessay & Philippe Cassard

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