Melodic inventiveness and orchestral elegance
“The prestige which covers an actress renders her the most dangerous woman one can imagine”
Louis-Sébastien Mercier, Du Théâtre, ou Nouvel essai sur l’art dramatique (1773)
In the 18th century, the French language had no greater ambassador than actress Adrienne Lecouvreur: sovereign of Voltaire’s tragedies, of Racine and Corneille’s verses and of the sung declamation of the Comédie-Française. Her life was short, as she died suddenly at the age of 38. Her love affair with Marshal Maurice de Saxe aroused the jealousy of the Duchess de Bouillon. An accident shrouded in mystery ensued, in which legend has it that a poisoned bouquet, offered by her rival, was the cause of her death. Jealousy, caused by fissures that are impossible to heal, is the powerful vehicle that unleashed this tragedy. The church’s refusal to give her a Christian burial shocked society of the time.
In the heart of the 19th century, thanks to the theatrical work of Eugène Scribe and Gabriel Legouvé, the myth was adapted into an opera by Francesco Cilèa. Heir to the Italian Romantic tradition, the Calabrian composer offered musical verismo one of its most exciting melodramas, along the lines of the compositions of Mascagni, Leoncavallo and Giordano.
Combining historical truth and tragic realism, Adriana Lecouvreur has never failed to expose on stage the noblest theatrical illusions along with real-life feelings. First performed in Milan in 1902, it is a favourite of audiences due to its melodic inventiveness and the elegance of the orchestral writing.
With the support of:
Òpera en quatre actes
Llibret d'Arturo Colautti basat en el drama Adríenne Lecouvreur d'Eugène Scribe i Ernest Legouvé.
Estrena absoluta:6/11/1902 al Teatro Lirico de Milà.
Estrena a Barcelona: 7/5/1903 al Gran Teatre del Liceu.
Darrera representació al Liceu: 3/6/2012.
Total de representacions al Liceu: 41
Artistic profile
- Stage director
- David McVicar
- This version
- Justin Way
- Set design
- Charles Edwards
- Choreography
- Andrew George
- Costume design
- Brigitte Reiffenstuel
- Lighting
- Adam Silverman
- Musical director assistant
- Sergio Sáez
- Musical assistants
- Véronique Werklé, Carlos Sanchis Aguirre, David-Huy Nguyen-Phong and Jaume Tribó
- Production
- Gran Teatre del Liceu, Royal Opera House (Londres), Opéra de Paris, Wiener Staatsoper and San Francisco Opera
Cast
- Cor del Gran Teatre del Liceu (David-Huy Nguyen-Phong, director)
- Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Director
- Patrick Summers
Cast change
The Gran Teatre del Liceu announces changes in the cast of Cilèa's Adriana Lecouvreur
Get ready for Adriana Lecouvreur
Més informació
Cronologia liceista
Consulta la història d'aquest títol a través dels Annals de la Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu: relació de funcions, repartiments, fotografies, programes de mà, curiositats...
Conferències
13/06/2024
Dijous | 19h SALA COR
Conferència a càrrec de Pol Avinyó, divulgador musical, a l'entorn de l'òpera Adriana Lecouvreur, de Cilea. Organitzada per l'Associació d'Amics del Liceu.
Per inscriure’s en aquesta activitat, cal posar-se en contacte amb l’Associació: 93 317 73 78 – natalia@amicsliceu.com