“Opera is not for me!”” Renaud Boutin, artistic director of Lab'Opéra Oise, wants to disprove this too often heard belief. “We think we don't have the keys, the codes for the opera when all we have to do is open the doors. We know a lot more opera arias than we think“, he explains while presenting his concert-conference “Millén'airs d'opéra” which will take place on Saturday November 23 at 8 p.m. at the Bashung Hall. That evening, two opera singers will perform on stage, Camille Brault and Anaïs de Faria, accompanied by pianist Juliette Sabbah. The three artists and Renaud Boutin will recount and illustrate four centuries of opera, from Monteverdi to Bernstein via Mozart, Offenbach, Verdi…
More than 130 schoolchildren will attend the show
“It is a very interactive show which is aimed at everyone. We explain the stories these great opera arias tell“, continues Renaud Boutin, who has made it his mission to attract new audiences. “This show has the ability to bring very different people together.”
As proof, the show will be given for the first time on Friday, November 22 in the afternoon, still at the Alain Bashung Hall, for school audiences. “Five classes from the town's primary schools will attend this concert-conference, which represents 134 children.“, explains Valérie Corfmat, deputy mayor in charge in particular of schools. “The proposal immediately met with real enthusiasm. We will also certainly have young people from the college choir.” Renaud Boutin particularly appreciates this announcement: “We have already played in Clermont and Creil, and the young people were extremely receptive. We want to make young people ambassadors of opera.”
Free entry
And this is the goal also stated by the municipality since the two performances are fully supported by the municipality and will therefore be free. “All the shows we offer in Mouy are free, that’s a principle“, underlines Philippe Terrier, assistant for culture, who explains the genesis of the coming of this show to Mouy. “It's Catherine Cros (elected, editor’s note) who suggested it to us. She was enthusiastic. I went to see it and I also really liked it. Then, the entire culture commission was convinced.” A beautiful unanimity that Mayor Philippe Mauger, more accustomed to the stormy context of his mandate, did not fail to underline. “Culture for everyone is very important. We have a false idea of opera, I am very happy to welcome Monsieur Boutin for this show“, he said.
