To extend the festive atmosphere of the holidays, the Gulbenkian Orchestra is organising two concerts to celebrate the new year.

Clelia Cafiero will be conducting the orchestra and soprano Asmik Grigorian, in a rich and varied programme.

In Lisbon on 6 and 7 January : https://gulbenkian.pt/musica/en/agenda/new-years-concert-5/

The Co(opéra)tive continues its tour of its production of La Dame Blanche still conducted by Nicolas Simon at the head of Les Siècles and directed by Louise Vignaud.

Sahy Ratia will sing Georges Brown…  

and Caroline Jestaedt the role of Anna.

Two dates are scheduled at the Atelier Lyrique of Tourcoing on 14 and 15 January : https://www.atelierlyriquedetourcoing.fr/la-dame-blanche-14-16-janvier-2022/

And two others at the Bateau Feu in Dunkerque on 18 and 19 January : https://www.lebateaufeu.com/saison/2021-2022/7-opera/445-la_dame_blanche.html

The Opera de Rouen presents a participative version of Verdi’s Rigoletto in French to make it accessible to young audiences, in a production by Manuel Renga and under the baton of Victor Jacob.

Florent Karrer will sing the title role for the first time.

A production not to be missed on 15 January : https://www.operaderouen.fr/saison/21-22/rigoletto-ou-les-mysteres-du-theatre/ 

Le Concert Spirituel, Les Malins Plaisirs and the dance company L’Eventail are joining forces to perform Le Malade Imaginaire by Molière and Charpentier, directed by Vincent Tavernier and conducted by Hervé Niquet and Nicolas André.

Blaise Rantoanina will sing the tenor part.

A great moment of theatre and music, to be enjoyed at the Opéra de Massy on 15 and 16 January : https://www.opera-massy.com/fr/le-malade-imaginaire.html?cmp_id=77&news_id=836&vID=3

The production then embarks on a tour that will stop at the Théâtre Graslin in Nantes between 22 January and 3 February : https://www.angers-nantes-opera.com/la-programmation-2022/le-malade-imaginaire

The Opéra Grand Avignon is also paying attention to young audiences with Carmen Reine du Cirque, directed by Andrea Bernard and conducted by Leo Warynski.

Charlie Guillemin will be the Remendado

A date for the general public is scheduled for 16 January  : http://www.operagrandavignon.fr/spectacles/carmen-reine-du-cirque/ 

The Opéra de Tours is creating the event with Thaïs by Massenet, conducted by the famous French conductor Michel Plasson and directed by Jean-Louis Grinda.

Hagar Sharvit will be Albine.

Three dates for one of the masterpieces of French opera on 21, 23 and 25 January : https://operadetours.fr/fr/programmation/thais-jules-massenet-1842-1912

The Opéra Nomade company is going on tour with a new production of Le Nozze di Figaro, directed by Pierre Thirion-Vallet and conducted by Amaury du Closel.

Jeanne Mendoche will sing her first Susanna.

First performances at the Théâtre Municipal in Abbeville on 22 January and at the Théâtre Coluche in Plaisir on 29 January : https://www.operanomade.org/les-noces-de-figaro

Clermont Auvergne Opéra opens the new production of Bellini’s La Sonnambula, which was the subject of the last edition of the Clermont-Ferrand Singing Competition, in a production directed by Francesca Lattuada and conducted by Beatrice Venezi.

Clarke Ruth will be Alessio.

See you on 23 and 25 January : https://clermont-auvergne-opera.com/evenement/la-sonnambula/

Then on 30 January at the Opéra de Vichy : https://agenda.ville-vichy.fr/5889925_La-Sonnambula-Bellini

The Saint-Etienne Opera starts the year with Hamlet, Ambroise Thomas’ masterpiece, in a new production directed by Nicola Berloffa and conducted by Jacques Lacombe.

Jérôme Boutillier will play the title role for the first time…

… alongside Jeanne Crousaud who will take on the role of Ophélie.

Jiwon Song will make his debut as Claudius…

… while Yoann Le Lan will be Marcellus.

Three performances not to be missed on 26, 28 and 30 January : https://opera.saint-etienne.fr/otse/saison-21-22/spectacles//type-lyrique/hamlet/s-636/

Rose Naggar-Tremblay, a young mezzo-contralto from Quebec, who has just won the First Grand Prize in Opera at the Georges Enesco International Competition as well as the First Prize in the OSM Competition organised by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Rafaela Albuquerque, a young Portuguese soprano from la Fabbrica (the young artist studio of the Rome Opera), where she had the opportunity to get noticed as Clorinda (La Cenerentola), the Sacerdotessa (Aida), Annina (La Traviata) and especially Zerlina (Don Giovanni) on main stage of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.

Clarke Ruth, a young Canadian bass-baritone, has just completed his studies at the Hochschule in Cologne.

As a winner of the International singing competition in Clermont-Ferrand, he has been untrusted with the part of Alessio (La Sonnambula) in a coproduction of Clermont-Ferrand, Vichy, Avignon, Metz, Reims, Limoges, Massy and Compiègne opera houses.

Charlie Guillemin, an original and protean artist, a true actor-singer, finds his field of election in character tenor parts.

Recently, he had great success playing the jester Elcius (Croesus by Keiser) at the Théâtre de l’Athénée in Paris and will soon play the part of Remendado (Carmen, Reine du cirque) at the Avignon Opera.

Clelia Cafiero, a young Italian conductor, with a bright future. After assisting Sir Antonio Pappano, she is currently assistant to Lawrence Foster at Marseille Opera.

Her projects include Madama Butterfly at the Quebec Opera, and La Traviata in Marseille.