Unique Opéra de Massy

Incongruous moments, unusual actions, uncommon situations... The show must go on !

King Arthur, staging by Corinne et Gilles Benizio, 2013 (2013/2014) by Henry Purcell, Corinne et Gilles Benizio (Shirley et Dino), and Hervé NiquetOpéra de Massy

What on Earth is the Music Director Doing?

Performing! Let's go back to December 2013, when Purcell's King Arthur was being performed at the Opéra de Massy. The Le Concert Spirituel orchestra is in the pit. Meanwhile, Hervé Niquet, their director, is getting changed. And for a good reason: in a kilt and long socks, alongside Corinne and Gilles Benizio (Shirley and Dino), he sings a song and puts on a real show. The room is full, the public are in hysterics.

Don Quichotte at the Duchess, staging by Corinne et Gilles Benizio, 2017 (2016/2017) by Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Corinne et Gilles Benizio (Shirley et Dino), and Hervé NiquetOpéra de Massy

Purists beware: Hervé Niquet was not done, and recycled his act a few years later during Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse.

Otello, staging by Nadine Duffaut, 2015 (2015/2016) by Giuseppe Verdi and Nadine DuffautOpéra de Massy

A Halloween Production…

This is not a haunted house. Nor is it a still from Games of Thrones … This severed head on a plate is in fact a prop from Othello! In the story, the hero returns home, victorious from war, brandishing the head of one of his enemies above the crowd that has gathered to hail his exploits.

Otello, staging by Nadine Duffaut, 2015 (2015/2016) by Giuseppe Verdi and Nadine DuffautOpéra de Massy

Behind the scenes, between two performances, can you imagine the surprise of visitors discovering said head neatly stored in its basket and enthroned among the swords?

Portrait of the Mime Marceau (1974) by Marcel MarceauOpéra de Massy

Make the Best of a Bad Situation.

The Opéra de Massy has three curtains, one of which is a safety curtain to act as a firewall in case of fire. In 1992, for its preseason, the Opéra de Massy had the pleasure of welcoming the mime artist Marcel Marceau as a guest performer. The day of the show, whilst he was still in the dressing room, technicians tried to raise the safety curtain, in vain. They discovered a crank system up in the fly loft but since the curtain was so heavy, it rose extremely slowly. Marcel Marceau was warned, and the mime artist decided to improvise a show around the difficulty of raising the safety curtain. The lucky audience that night witnessed an hour of brand new material.

"Opéra de Massy" learning room's inauguration, 2018 (2018-06) by Albert II de MonacoOpéra de Massy

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco

Do you recognize him? The Monegascan head of state holds the titles of Marquis of Chilly, Duke of Mazarin, Count of Longjumeau, and Baron of Massy! These titles obtained as a result of successions and weddings still link the Principality of Monaco to these three towns in Essonne. On the occasion of his visit to Massy in June 2018, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II opened the teaching space at the Opéra de Massy.

Fashion show, Gustave Eiffel high school from Massy, 2015 (2015-05)Opéra de Massy

"Fashion May Go out of Style, but Style Never Goes out of Fashion"

Since 2007, the opera house has hosted a fashion show by the Gustave Eiffel vocational high school in Massy, every two years. Students studying all different subjects at the school are involved in the project. From the clothes to the creation of sets, the soundtrack, makeup, and even choreography, everything is done by the students with support from performing arts professionals.

Female-male, the mix between gender at the opera, staging by Frédérique Lombart, 2018 (2018-04) by Julien Fanthou, Frédérique Lombart, and George GershwinOpéra de Massy

Patachtouille

The Opéra de Massy strongly believes in fighting against anti-LGBT prejudice and hate. In their show entitled Féminin-masculin, le mélange des genres à l’opéra (Feminine-masculine, blending gender in opera), drag artist Julien Fanthou made an acclaimed appearance as his character, Patachtouille.

Boléro / Rachmaninov / Solo, Julien Lestel Company, 2016 (2015/2016) by Maurice Ravel, Sergueï Rachmaninov, and Julien LestelOpéra de Massy

François-René Duchable, an Exceptional Pianist

When François-René Duchable takes the stage, it is sure to be a special night. After many years working as a concert artist, he began to use music in radically different ways. "From now on, I forbid myself from playing on any traditional stage whatsoever, except in very special cases and unusual ways: tributes, birthdays, etc."

Boléro / Rachmaninov / Solo, Julien Lestel Company, 2016 (2015/2016) by Maurice Ravel, Sergueï Rachmaninov, and Julien LestelOpéra de Massy

In 2016, he shared the stage with the Opéra de Massy Orchestra and the Julien Lestel company for a double program dedicated to Rachmaninov and Ravel's Boléro. His music serves a greater, more beautiful purpose. Magic.

Falstaff, staging by Jean-Louis Grinda, 2013 (2013/2014) by Giuseppe Verdi and Jean-Louis GrindaOpéra de Massy

Close Encounters of the Third Kind !

Theater shows can be full of surprises. These include never knowing who may be around the corner backstage.

Musclemania, fitness championship, 2017 (2017-10)Opéra de Massy

Mr. Muscles

Who would imagine that the French fitness championships would be held at the Opéra de Massy? Since 2017, the opera house has held an unmissable event for bodybuilders !

Opera Bus, "Off & Back", 2018 (2018-06) by Jacques Offenbach, Frédérique Lombart, and Franck ChastrusseOpéra de Massy

If You Don't Come to the Opera, the Opera will Come to You!

The Opera Bus has passed through the cities of Massy, Longjumeau, and Les Ulis for many years. Singers, musicians, the public: everyone is invited to attend the show by bus, and a great atmosphere is guaranteed.

Opera Bus, The Magic flute, 2016 (2016-06) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Dorian Fourny, and Franck ChastrusseOpéra de Massy

With varied programs, the bus travels as close to the public as possible (market, town square, train station), allowing the public to get as close as possible to the artists and discover opera in a fun way.

Credits: Story

Virtual exhibition created and written by Eugénie Boivin for the Opéra de Massy.
Thank you to our performers for bringing such unique moments to life.
Thanks also go to all the photographers (Massy Photo Club and others) for being there at the right moment. They capture those little extras for us that make all the difference and remind us why opera is all about the live performance.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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