Opera: Giuditta

Franz Lehár Musical comedy in five acts. Libretto by Paul Knepler and Fritz Löhner. First performed at the Vienna State Opera on 20 January 1934. French version by André Mauprey. « Et si la mort m’enlève, Je veux qu’elle m’achève Dans un baiser de flamme Où chantera le mot : aimer ! » Time stands still whenever Giuditta starts to sing. Regarded as a bird of paradise, many a man has tried to enclose her in a golden cage and trap her in chains of diamonds disguised as necklaces. To no avail: the beautiful Giuditta is as protective of her freedom as her secrets. No one truly knows from whence she came, not the bird-catcher who one day found her on the shore and married her no questions asked, or the handsome Captain Octavio with whom she ran away to North Africa… Described as a “musikalische Komödie” by its author, the final work by Lehár has more in common with Puccini’s great operas than classic American musicals, as demonstrated by its premiere amid great fanfare at the Staatsoper in Vienna in 1934. While Giuditta might call to mind operatic heroines (Carmen, Violetta, Mélisande) and even real-life courtesans (such as “La Belle Otero”, a Spanish dancer who became the favorite of many a European duke or monarch), the character is mostly based on Marlene Dietrich and her iconic roles as cabaret headliner in “L’Ange bleu” and “Morocco”. Holding the baton for the Orchestre symphonique de Mulhouse, Thomas Rösner directs the French version of this captivating, rare gem in a vibrant spectacle designed by Pierre-André Weitz set within the worlds of the circus and cabaret. In French, overtitled in French and German. Duration : 2h45 with intervals. Age limit : from 10 years.