a dazzling French premiere to celebrate Puccini

To mark the centenary of the death of Giacomo Puccini, the Nice Opera presents a new production of Egar, the composer’s little-known work, in its complete version. From November 8 to 12, 2024, the Nice public will have the opportunity to attend the French premiere of this opera in four acts. Discover this event in partnership with France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

Three new performances for a memorable evening ! Decor created by the technical teams of the Nice Opera, exceptional cast, enough to enthuse spectators passionate about opera.

For the first time in France, Edgar will be performed in its complete version, faithful to the work that Puccini had initially conceived. Originally created in four acts in 1889, the opera was shortened by Puccini to meet public expectations of the time.

This new production, led by conductor Giuliano Carella and directed by Nicola Raab, brings the full version back to life, allowing us to appreciate every dramatic and musical nuance that Puccini had imagined. With Stefano La Colla in the title role, Ekaterina Bakanova as Fidelia and Valentina Boi as Tigrana, this performance will pay tribute to the passionate and emotional intensity so typical of Puccini.

Inspired by Musset’s poem The Cup and the Lips, Edgar tells the tormented story of a young man torn between two women, each representing an aspect of his soul. Fidelia, gentle and devoted, embodies pure and caring love, while Tigrana, sensual and passionate, symbolizes temptation and carnal desire. Edgar, aspiring to a noble life, attempts to redeem himself, but finds himself drawn into heartbreaking choices. This work, rich in inner conflicts and strong emotions, offers viewers a poignant drama, an exploration of themes of redemption and human duality, illustrated by Puccini’s vibrant and passionate music.

Nicola Raab, renowned director, offers a contemporary interpretation that resonates with our current society. It highlights an Edgar who seems foreign to himself, just as he is to his environment. By placing him face to face with the contradictory expectations of his world and his own aspirations, Nicola Raab reveals the complexity of this character, a reflection of everyone’s quest for identity. This refined and symbolic framework underlines the torments of the human soul and allows this work, more than a century old, to resonate in our contemporary world.

In addition to renowned soloists, this production draws on the participation of the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra and the Choirs of the Nice Opera, including the children’s choir. A collective work of these ensembles, under the expert direction of Giuliano. Co-produced with the Teatro Regio in Turin and the Opéra National de Lorraine, this event shows the investment of institutions in the rediscovery of the works of Puccini and highlights Edgar as a milestone in his musical evolution.

The 3 performances of Edgar on November 8, 10 and 12 are part of a week of tribute to the composer, punctuated by numerous events :

• November 5th : free preview of the opera Edgar reserved for students
• November 7th : everything you need to know behind the scenes at Edgar with chef Giuliano Carella and director Nicola Raab
• November 8th : a lecture on Puccini by Gabriella Biagi Ravenni, President of the Centro studi Giacomo Puccini
• November 9th : become an apprentice chorister for a giant choir to learn the “Closed Mouth Choir” from Madama Butterfly
• November 10th : an artistic workshop for children, while parents are at the show
• November 12th : Edgar and Puccini presented to 80 students from Jules Romains and Maurice Jaubert colleges in the company of conductor Giuliano Carella
• From November 5 to 12 : the “Café Momus” from Puccini’s opera La Bohème comes back to life at the opera bar.

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