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

Cast

Conductor Kent Nagano
Production and Set Dmitri Tcherniakov
Costumes Elena Zaytseva
Lighting Gleb Filshtinsky
Dramaturgy Andrea Schönhofer
Chor Stellario Fagone

Marquis de la Force Jochen Schmeckenbecher
Blanche de la Force Sally Matthews
Chevalier de la Force Yann Beuron
Madame de Croissy Sylvie Brunet
Madame Lidoine Soile Isokoski
Mère Marie Susanne Resmark
Soeur Constance Anna Virovlansky
Mère Jeanne Heike Grötzinger
Soeur Mathilde Angela Brower
L'aumônier Alexander Kaimbacher
1er commissaire Ulrich Reß
2ème commissaire Tim Kuypers
L'officier Christian Rieger
Le geôlier Andrea Borghini
Thierry Rafał Pawnuk

The Bavarian State Orchestra
The Chorus of the Bavarian State Opera

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