Opera is often present in cinema. Whether at the heart of the story itself, as in Black Swann or Billy Elliot, or as a backdrop to a scene: a murder, an encounter, love at first sight.
The cinema is also the place to see filmed versions of the finest opera classics. It’s not always easy to get to this artistic Mecca, whether for reasons of distance or scheduling. The cinema is the ideal alternative for those wishing to escape into the world of The Nutcracker, be lulled by the romanticism of Romeo and Juliet or discover new productions.
To meet this need, the Royal Opera House has surrounded itself with the best technicians and directors to produce high quality filmed versions (broadcast live or recorded) of its ballet performances, which will be shown in the best French cinemas from September 22nd.
Experiencing opera in front of the stage with the orchestra, or in a movie theater: for many, it’s a completely different experience. The experience is certainly not the same. The Royal Opera House doesn’t pretend otherwise, but high-definition images are produced by a team of specialized film-makers with an acute knowledge of the world of ballet.
This year, the Royal Ballet, a world-renowned company founded in 1931 and made up of artists from over 25 different countries, will present its version of 10 great classics, as well as 2 new, never-before-seen productions. Always prone to new proposals, the company offers an adaptation of Frankenstein by choreographer Liam Scarlett, and introduces 2 debuts in operatic roles.
An audacious gamble. To make Frankenstein rhyme with opera: it’s not obvious at first glance. Shelley’s novel has been popularized for its adaptations in the horror and fantasy genres, rather than in the starry world of ballet. Yet it’s also the torments, dramas and tumults that stories like Carmen and Verdi’s Travatia are based on. Frankenstein: the tragic fate of a creature who has no place in our world. Is this not the myth of the misunderstood artist?
We can’t wait for Liam Scarlett’s adaptation, and we can’t wait to lock ourselves away in the darkened rooms to contemplate the grace of bodies, listen to the sweet harmonies, and be moved by stories that time has not harmed.
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