We rarely talk about them. Unlike artists who perform on stage and receive the bulk of the applause from a satisfied audience, they remain in the shadows, invisible and hardworking hands without whose relentless perseverance nothing would be possible. It is probably to pay tribute to them that, on June 20th, the Opéra de Nice and its General Director Paul-Emile Fourny decided to unveil the 2008-2009 season at La Diacosmie in Nice. The insignia of the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, which was also presented to him on this occasion by the Deputy Mayor Christian Estrosi, were undoubtedly partly meant for them.
La Diacosmie is not just the backstage. It embodies the entirety of the set in gestation. Consider this: 21,000 m² of workshops spread over five levels—ranging from painting and blacksmithing to upholstery, carpentry, trimming, and, of course, sewing—with over 7,000 costumes stored, fulfilling the study, production, creation, and storage needs essential to the life of a modern grand theater. Two stages replicate, one the opera stage (288 m²), the other the Apollon Hall stage (1,080 m²), allowing artists to work in the actual sets and under the exact conditions of the performances. This occurs before the “rehearsal” on Rue Saint-François-de-Paule. Additionally, there is the choir room, the orchestra’s rehearsal room, and the Ballet Corps studio.
During the visit, a backdrop for an opera from the upcoming program was being created. It’s a fascinating work, both technical and artistic, led by Nathalie Verdier, who explains how she creates a painting or set, even when commissioned: “I draw my main inspiration from the music of the piece and try to avoid looking at what others have already done,” she explains. “The emotion of the voice guides me,” she adds convincingly to a music critic from a Milanese magazine.
In his presentation of the 2008-2009 season, Paul-Emile Fourny outlined two key themes, “boldness” and “discovery,” which guided the choices of this program: continuing the Puccini year and emphasizing the “Opera for All” spirit. The season opens with the classic and traditional “Macbeth” by Verdi, although the director has indicated his desire for a staging leaning towards modernity for this new production. This is followed in December by “La Rondine” by Puccini, part of which is set in Nice and will be in collaboration with the Torre del Lago Festival, recently endowed with a significant budget to maintain the work of the Italian composer. The holiday season will feature “The Tales of Hoffmann” by Jacques Offenbach, offering an interesting parallel with “La Vie parisienne,” performed at the same time last year. 2009 will begin with “The Barber of Seville” by Rossini and will discover “Lakmé” by Léo Delibes in the spring. The Opéra de Nice will take a small temporal journey back with “Orpheus and Eurydice” by Gluck, Marie-Antoinette’s favorite composer, where the first collaboration with Villa Arson and scenographer Pascal Pinaud will take place. The season will end with the famous “Aida” by Verdi at the Palais Nikaïa, where the Opéra de Nice expects, as part of the “Opera for All” initiative, 17,000 spectators, including 5,000 young people, which, as Christian Estrosi mentioned afterwards, ensures reaching an audience that does not necessarily come to the Opera. There will be a great variety of musical directions with many prestigious guest conductors (Alberto Veronesi, Emmanuel Joël-Hornak, Sergio Monterisi, Alain Guingal), except for the first and last productions led by Marco Guidarini.
For this nine-month period, no fewer than 22 concerts will be offered to the people of Nice, including the seemingly much-appreciated Sunday morning family concerts, as well as those by the “Apostrophe” Ensemble and the Chamber Music group. Notably, under the direction of Michel Plasson, an evening and a morning in October will feature works by Debussy, Ravel, and Chausson, as well as an exceptional December concert around Bach, Haydn, and Mozart, conducted by Frédéric Lodéon. The public will also enjoy five productions by the Nice Opera Ballet Corps, including Tchaikovsky’s illustrious “The Nutcracker” and a magnificent “De Falla” evening in October, as well as the ballet within Gluck’s “Orpheus and Eurydice,” in April this time.
Music lovers and all those who are passionately inspired by pure emotion are therefore invited to an exceptionally rich season, as “all the arts of the night” are equally celebrated. However, after this ceremony at La Diacosmie, “the backstage of the Opera” will no longer be just where, to paraphrase Martine Kahane, “the happy shadows of the artists pass by.”
www.opera-nice.org
