Presentation

Jean-Pierre Ponnelle (1932-1988) was one of the greatest opera directors of the 20th century. His reputation was established for good after his brilliant Barber of Seville at the Salzburg Festival in 1968, conducted by Claudio Abbado. From that moment on, he could be found on the world's greatest stages, bringing to life legendary cycles of Mozart (in Salzburg) or Monteverdi (in Zurich), and quite happily passing from Rossini and Massenet to Berg and Hindemith. Rarely have singing and singers been so exalted by a director. Fortunately, many of his shows were filmed and remain reference works to this day. At the Paris Opera, however, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle directed only one opera, Cosi fan tutte during Rolf Liebermann's time as director. Nicolas Joel aims to pay tribute to this master by putting on his production of La Cenerentola, a Cinderella story set to music by Rossini, masterpiece of smiling grace. Rossini and Ponnelle's marvellous and meticulous theatre of illusions with all its fantasy will enchant us once more.