10.03.2023

SABINE DEVIEILHE in a new production at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

Anyone who has heard Sabine Devieilhe as Lakmé sits there open-mouthed, asking: how is that possible? During her next premiere, as Stravinsky’s "Rossignol" and in Poulenc’s "Les Mamelles de Tirésias", she can play to all her strengths: her ethereal, colourful coloratura soprano might have been created to sing the role of a nightingale! Even at dizzying heights, her voice remains beautiful and crystal-clear. An outstanding voice, however, is not enough for these roles: it requires a great acting talent, and in the case of Thèrese, a gift for comedy as well.

I find these rarely-performed works extremely fascinating, as both of them question appearances and the power they convey – in Stravinsky, it is the dialogue between the melodious bird and its mechanical doppelganger, and in Poulenc, the different roles of man and woman. Poulenc’s opera ends with the appeal: Faites des enfants! I tell you: go to the opera! The premiere takes place on March 10 at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris.