The Richard Wagner Circles number 137 around the world and have more than 22,000 members, with nearly 70 countries represented. These Circles award nearly 250 scholarships each year to young talents in the lyric arts and orchestra.
The Richard Wagner Circles number 137 around the world and have more than 22,000 members, with nearly 70 countries represented. These Circles award nearly 250 scholarships each year to young talents in the lyric arts and orchestra.
There are two types of Circles: those exclusively devoted to the music of Richard Wagner and those that are more eclectic, appealing to a broader audience of the classical repertoire.
In France, the most important Circle is the one in Strasbourg with about a thousand members. The second is the Rive Droite Circle of Nice, which with 200 members, ranks ahead of the one in Paris.
Speaking of Rive Droite, its president clarifies that it refers to the Var and not the Paillon. The scholarships granted adhere to the wish of the master of Bayreuth, as Richard Wagner, a year before his death, wanted to help those who loved his music to visit the Wagnerian temple free of charge.
What was once a utopia became a reality later with the Circles and scholarships. The young artists are selected by the Circles.
In France, four out of the eleven Circles in our country—Toulouse, Strasbourg, Paris, and Nice—select the scholarship winners through auditions and concerts.
The Richard Wagner Rive Droite Circle has chosen two promising young voices: mezzo-soprano Valentine Lemercier and soprano Jennifer Michel, two divas of the 21st century. You will be able to hear them and discover the range of their voices during a recital given at the Opera of Nice on March 5, with pianist François René Duchâble.
This concert being charitable in nature, beyond the music lover’s satisfaction, the public will also have the opportunity to contribute to the works of the Richard Wagner Rive Droite Circle.
The talent-discovering Circle allows its members to explore other lyric stages, with trips organized to attend operas in Marseille, Toulon, and even Genoa.
Thierry Jan
