Dialogues des Carmélites

Francis Poulenc
Francis Poulenc after Georges Bernanos

In his 1957 opera Dialogues des Carmélites, French composer Francis Poulenc sets revolution and religion on a collision course: young Blanche de la Force, haunted from birth by panic attacks, seeks refuge in the isolation of a convent, where she hopes to overcome her torturous fear of life. Her entry into the Order of the Carmelites and her conversations with the other nuns strengthen her and her faith, but the fear remains. The French Revolution does not stop at the walls of the convent and prohibits the nuns from carrying out the rules of their order. They rise in opposition, even accepting a martyr’s death rather than give in. All except Blanche – she flees again, terrified of death. The steadfastness with which the sisters face their martyrdom rescues Blanche from her anxiety. Fearlessly, she follows them to the gallows.

In French with German surtitles

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Cast

Conductor Kent Nagano
Production and Set Dmitri Tcherniakov
Costumes Elena Zaytseva
Lighting Gleb Filshtinsky
Dramaturgy Andrea Schönhofer
Chorus Sören Eckhoff

Marquis de la Force Alain Vernhes
Blanche de la Force Susan Gritton
Chevalier de la Force Bernard Richter
Madame de Croissy Felicity Palmer
Madame Lidoine Soile Isokoski
Mère Marie Susanne Resmark
Soeur Constance Hélène Guilmette
Mère Jeanne Heike Grötzinger
Soeur Mathilde Anaïk Morel
L'aumônier Kevin Conners
1er commissaire Ulrich Reß
2ème commissaire John Chest
L'officier Christian Rieger
Le geôlier Levente Molnár
Thierry Rüdiger Trebes

The Bavarian State Orchestra
The Chorus of the Bavarian State Opera

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