Festival Opéra de Québec presents a new production of Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin

Festival Opéra de Québec presents a new production of Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin
On Thursday a brand new production of Kaija Saariaho’s L’Amour de Loin by Robert Lepage and Michael Curry features in this year’s Festival Opéra de Québec. Saariaho’s entrancing tale of courtly love and death has been staged by several companies all across the world since its premiere in 2000 and now returns to Canada for a second time for four shows in late July and early August.

This breath-taking new production of the opera is steeped in grand lighting design by Kevin Adams which sets old against new to create an impressionistic seascape. Commenting on their staging ahead of the festival Curry and Lepage explain that:


‘[we] have chosen to set the story and music in an imaginary maritime space. On stage, an array of luminous vertical lines create a stylised aquatic horizon which vibrates, sparkles and swells, evolving continuously with effects created by machinery, light, video and puppetry. This sea, like Saariaho’s music, serves both as the source and as the vessel of the lover’s passion; out of its depth emerge voices, and on its horizon floats an enigmatic pilgrim, who weaves together an illusory love.’


The Quebec Opera Chorus and Orchestra will be conducted by Ernest Martinez-Izquierdo. The Canadian baritone Phillip Addis will play Jaufré Rudel; Clémence by fellow Canadian Erin Wall; and the pilgrim by the American mezzo-soprano and graduate of the Metropolitan Opera's young artist programme, Tamara Mumford.

Performance dates:
30th July | Salle Louis Fréchette, Grand Théâtre de Québec
1st August | Salle Louis Fréchette, Grand Théâtre de Québec
3rd August | Salle Louis Fréchette, Grand Théâtre de Québec
5th August | Salle Louis Fréchette, Grand Théâtre de Québec

Purchase tickets for the above performances here.


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