The Opéra national du Rhin
The Opéra national du Rhin owes its exemplary nature to the specific contribution of the three cities which constitute it: Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar. As a « Syndicat intercommunal », or « intermunicipal syndicate », the management of the Opéra national du Rhin is jointly carried out by the three cities, each of which has its own creative activity: the Opera in Strasbourg, the Ballet of the Opéra national du Rhin, national centre of choregraphy since 1985, in Mulhouse, and the Opéra Studio, the training unit for young singers, in Colmar. The Alsacian experiment has now become a model, after existing for more than thirty years. Whilst remaining fiercely attached to its regional and European roots, the Opéra national du Rhin has made its mark as an essential institutional fixture both on the international and on the French operatic scene, rewarded in November 1997 by gaining the title of «Opéra national».
The Opéra national du Rhin works closely with the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg and the Orchestre symphonique de Mulhouse, which perform in the operatic and dance productions.The cultural policy of the Opéra national du Rhin is expressed through its annual programming of more than 140 performances of opera, dance, recitals, concerts and « jeune public » shows.
The Opéra national du Rhin has acquired a first class international reputation in opera thanks to the work of well-known directors such as Jean-Pierre Ponnelle (La Flûte enchantée, La Bohème or Turandot) and more recently Achim Freyer, David Pountney, Philippe Arlaud, Alfred Kirchner, Stéphane Braunschweig, Georges Lavaudant, Klaus Michael Grüber, Christof Loy and David McVicar. This season our establishment will be opening its doors to other distinguished names in the directing world, such as Robert Carsen, and young artists on the verge of a great international career: Vincent Boussard, Mariame Clément, Francisco Negrin.
From Teresa Berganza, Régine Crespin, Montserrat Caballé and José Van Dam to Mireille Delunsch, Susan Graham, Dame Felicity Lott, Ludovic Tézier, Sir John Tomlinson and Béatrice Uria-Monzon, the Opéra national du Rhin has been host to the greatest voices. The 2009/2010 season will be noted for the presence of Scott Hendricks as Richard III, Elisabete Matos as Lady Macbeth, and the return of Nataliya Kovalova (Louise), Sébastien Droy (Ferrando).
The Opéra national du Rhin has also welcomed outstanding conductors, such as Marc Albrecht, Ivor Bolton, William Christie, Emmanuelle Haïm, Claus Peter Flor, Kirill Karabits, Bernhard Kontarsky, Louis Langrée, Alain Lombard, Kent Nagano, Michel Plasson, Carlo Rizzi. This season we shall be pleased to see Daniel Klajner and again Christophe Rousset conducting the Talens Lyriques, and we will be also welcoming Patrick Fournillier, Ottavio Dantone and Friedemann Layer.
The Opéra national du Rhin sets great store by achieving a balance between the mainstream repertoire while also promoting contemporary works, and has had premieres of several new works, such as Prova d'orchestra and Impressions d'Afrique by Giorgio Battistelli, Tristes Tropiques by Georges Aperghis, Die Gespenstersonate by Aribert Reimann, Aleksis Kivi by Rautavaara, Héloïse et Abélard by Ahmed Essyad, Ion by Param Vir and L'Autre Côté by Bruno Mantovani. After Cassandre by Michael Jarrell and Frühlings Erwachen by Benoît Mernier, this new season will be opening with the French premiere of Richard III by Battistelli.
The Opéra national du Rhin enjoys a policy of coproductions with the greatest international festivals, theatres and opera houses, among which we can list the Welsh National Opera, the festivals of Savonlinna and Schwetzingen or the Maggio Musicale of Florence and, more recently, the Royal Opera House of London and Det Kongelige Teater of Copenhagen (The Tempest), the Staatsoper of Berlin, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris and the Théâtre royal de la Monnaie in Bruxelles (Le Couronnement de Poppée), the Musiktheater im Revier de Gelsenkirchen (Les Troyens), the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie and the Teatro Real of Madrid (Boris Godounov) as well as the Opéra de Nice (Delphin Poulopeau), The Canadian Opera Company (Idomeneo et Fidelio) and the Opéra national de Bordeaux (Jephtha). This season, Aladin et la lampe merveilleuse is coproduced with the Opéra de Lausanne and Macbeth with the Opéra de Monte Carlo.
The Ballet of the Opéra national du Rhin also pursues a policy of putting on works of the mainstream classical and contemporary repertoire as well as re-readings and new creations. By concentrating on a limited number of choreographers or kinds of work, the ballet is able to do in-depth work on each style. This is demonstrated by the frequent appearance of works by Balanchine, Forsythe and Béjart, and, more particularly, by regular invitations to choreographers such as Lucinda Childs. This company, which does not hesitate to tackle Giselle, then to move on to instantaneous creations, the output of the most up to date research, is open to a wide range of styles without however spreading itself too thinly, and so making sure that the choreographers' artistic options are respected. Most of the great names in international choreography have come to work with the Ballet du Rhin, and certain outstanding choreographers such as Maguy Marin and Thierry Malandain began their careers here.