Vincent Pontet / OnP

Opera

Adriana Lecouvreur

Francesco Cilea

Opéra Bastille

from 16 January to 07 February 2024

3h20 with 2 intervals

Adriana Lecouvreur

Opéra Bastille - from 16 January to 07 February 2024

Synopsis

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The life of Adrienne Lecouvreur, member of the Comédie-Française and admired by Voltaire, was as brief as her death was mysterious. Was she really poisoned by a bouquet of violets sent by her rival, the Princess de Bouillon, who was in love with the same man as her: Maurice de Saxe? Whatever the case, such is the plot of Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé's play, which inspired Francesco Cilea's librettists. The Italian composer, close to the verist movement, drew on their material to write a refined score, which premiered in Milan in 1902 with Caruso in the role of Maurizio. At the Opéra Bastille, David McVicar's staging, as refined as a painting by Watteau, resurrects a lively 18th century in which the passions of life on stage echo those of real life.

Duration : 3h20 with 2 intervals

Language : Italian

Surtitle : French / English

Show acts and characters

CHARACTERS

Adrienne Lecouvreur: Actress, member of the Comédie-Française
Count Maurice de Saxe: Lover of Adrienne and of the Princesse de Bouillon
The Princesse de Bouillon: Adrienne’s rival, in love with Maurice de Saxe
Michonnet: Stage Manager of the Comédie‑Française
The Prince de Bouillon: Husband of the Princess and lover of Mlle Duclos, an actress and Adrienne’s rival
The Abbé de Chazeuil: Gentleman friend of the Prince

First part

Act 1
The Foyer of the Comédie-Française
The curtain is about to rise on a performance of Racine’s Bajazet. A feverish excitement reigns in the wings. The Prince de Bouillon and the Abbé de Chazeuil have come to greet the actresses before they make their entrance on stage. The Prince is the acknowledged protector of Duclos, one of the most famous actresses of the moment along with her stage rival Adrienne Lecouvreur. Just then, the latter enters the foyer, provoking a deluge of compliments from the Prince and the Abbé which greatly irritates the other actors.

Michonnet, the stage manager, secretly in love with Adrienne, tries to profit from an instant alone with her to reveal his true feelings. But Adrienne takes the lead… and announces to him that she is in love with Maurice, a young officer in the service of the Count of Saxony (Adrienne is unaware that Maurice is in fact the Count). Maurice then enters and pledges love to Adrienne.

Before going on stage, the young woman slips a posy of violets into Maurice’s buttonhole as a token of her love. The Prince returns in a fury: he has just been given a note sent by Duclos to Maurice in which she has arranged a rendezvous for that very evening. The Prince decides to catch the guilty parties in the act. However, it is not Duclos who has arranged the rendez vous with Maurice: the actress was merely acting as the intermediary between Maurice and the Princess de Bouillon, whose relations with the Count are of both a private and political nature. At the end of the performance, the Prince invites the actors to a supper. Adrienne accepts in the hope that she will meet the Count of Saxony and be able to plead the cause of the man she still believes is just a simple officer. 


Act 2:
Duclos’ villa at la Grange Batelière
The Princess de Bouillon awaits Maurice. She senses that the Count’s ardour for her has cooled of late. She notices the bouquet in his buttonhole. Maurice finally admits that his heart now belongs to another woman whom he refuses to name. Their tête-à-tête is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the Prince and the Abbé. The Princess hides in the study adjoining the sitting room. Maurice is ready to challenge the Prince to a duel to save the honour of his mistress but he quickly realizes that the Prince thinks that the beautiful woman hiding next door is Duclos. Maurice does his best to maintain the illusion. Adrienne arrives. The Prince introduces her to the Count of Saxony and she realizes that he is in fact her lover… Adrienne forgives the innocent deception. Maurice explains the situation to her in muted tones and asks her to help the person who is hiding in the study to escape from the villa without being recognized — even by herself. Adrienne confidently promises to assist. Left alone for a moment, she brings the mysterious unnamed stranger out of the adjoining room. The relative darkness in the salon prevents them from recognizing each other, but they both soon guess that they are rivals in love. Before the Princess can find out more, the Prince returns forcing her to flee. However, as she leaves, she drops a bracelet which is found by Michonnet who has come to find Adrienne.  

Second part

Act 3
The Palace of the Prince de Bouillon
The Prince throws a grand reception. The first guests arrive. Adrienne is among them. The Princess thinks she recognizes the voice of her interlocutor from the other night. In order to be certain, she pretends to be concerned for Maurice’s health and claims he has been injured in a duel. Adrienne falls for the ruse and is betrayed by her emotions.

The arrival of Maurice, obviously unscathed, provokes a moment of confusion. Adrienne realizes that the Princess and the unknown woman from the villa are one and the same. She then decides to flaunt the Princess’ lost bracelet which she is now wearing in front of the guests. Dumbfounded, the Prince recognizes his wife’s jewellery. The Princess manages to avoid an awkward explanation by calling on Adrienne to recite a monologue. The actress delivers the monologue from Phèdre in such a way that she all but overtly accuses the Princess of adultery. The latter vows revenge.  

Third part

Act 4

At the home of Adrienne Lecouvreur
Adrienne wonders about Maurice’s fidelity. Consumed by depression, she contemplates abandoning the theatre. Comforted by the arrival of Michonnet and actors from the Comédie-Française who have come to wish her the best on her name day she goes back on her decision to quit the stage.

A box from Maurice is delivered: it contains the withered violets that she offered him in the first act. Convinced that it symbolizes their breakup, Adrienne drifts back into depression and nostalgically breathes in the fragrance of the violets, the scent of her lost love.

At that moment, Maurice arrives. He begs Adrienne to forgive him for his liaison with the Princess and affirms that he did not send her the violets. To prove his love, he asks her to marry him. Adrienne refuses: the theatre is her realm. However, convinced of his sincerity, she forgives her lover. She is suddenly overcome with dizziness. Maurice tries to help her but Adrienne drifts into delirium and no longer recognizes him. Michonnet realizes that the bouquet was poisoned — no doubt a final gift from the Princess. It is too late: Adrienne dies in their arms.

Artists

Opera in four acts (1902)

After the drama by Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé

Creative team

Cast

Paris Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Coproduction with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Londres, the Gran teatre Del Liceu, Barcelone, the Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna, and the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco

Media

[TRAILER] ADRIANA LECOUVREUR by Francesco Cilea
[TRAILER] ADRIANA LECOUVREUR by Francesco Cilea
  • Draw-me Adriana Lecouvreur

    Draw-me Adriana Lecouvreur

    Watch the video

  • The Opera is showing off: Adriana Lecouvreur

    The Opera is showing off: Adriana Lecouvreur

    Read the article

  • "An opera with a big O": Interview with David McVicar

    "An opera with a big O": Interview with David McVicar

    Watch the video

© Matthieu Pajot

Draw-me Adriana Lecouvreur

Watch the video

Understand the plot in 1 minute

1:26 min

Draw-me Adriana Lecouvreur

By Matthieu Pajot

© Clément Vuillier

The Opera is showing off: Adriana Lecouvreur

Read the article

When illustrators interpret the19/20 Season their way

01 min

The Opera is showing off: Adriana Lecouvreur

By Clément Vuillier

Octave gives free reins to some illustrators to portray their way the 19/20 Season, by revisiting one show poster of their choice. Clément Vuillier decided to illustrate the opera Adriana Lecouvreur by Francesco Cilea.  
© Clément Vuillier

"An opera with a big O": Interview with David McVicar

Watch the video

Interview with David McVicar

5:57 min

"An opera with a big O": Interview with David McVicar

By Isabelle Stibbe

On the occasion of the revival of Francesco Cilea's opera Adriana Lecouvreur, David McVicar discusses his staging choices, the evolution of the main heroine and the beauty of the music.

  • [EXTRAIT] ADRIANA LECOUVREUR by Francesco Cilea (Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov - Acte 4)
  • [EXTRAIT] ADRIANA LECOUVREUR by Francesco Cilea (Anna Netrebko - "Poveri fiori", acte 4)
  • [EXTRAIT] ADRIANA LECOUVREUR by Francesco Cilea - Yusif Eyvazov ("L'anima ho stanca" - acte 2)
  • [EXTRAIT] ADRIANA LECOUVREUR by Francesco Cilea - Anna Netrebko, Ekaterina Semenchuk (acte 2)
  • Adriana Lecouvreur (saison 23/24) - Acte 4 Ambrogio Maestri (Michonnet)-Taci mio vecchio cuor

  • Adriana Lecouvreur (saison 23/24) - Acte 2 Yusif Eyvasov - l'anima ho stanca

  • Adriana Lecouvreur (saison 23/24) - Acte 1 Ambrogio Maestri - Ecco il monologo

  • Adriana Lecouvreur (saison 23/24) - Acte 2 Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov - No Che giova

  • Adriana Lecouvreur (saison 23/24) - Acte 1 Anna Netrebko - Io son l'umile ancella

  • Adriana Lecouvreur (saison 23/24) - Acte 4 Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov

  • Adriana Lecouvreur (saison 23/24) - Acte 2 A. Netrebko, E. Semenchuk - Con l'ansia con l'impeto

Press

  • Peter Mattei is undoubtedly one of the best Don Giovanni of our time, a role he has sung on major international stages.

    Le Monde / 2023
  • We are delighted to see this magnificent production again, directed by David Mc Vicar and as refined as a Watteau painting.

    Jean-Christophe Mary / France Net Infos, 2024
  • The musicians give their full colour to the great lyrical phrases given to them by the gleaming orchestration. An evening that clearly won over the audience.

    Olyrix, 2024
  • The eagerly awaited revival of Cilea's opera on the Opéra Bastille stage, with an all-star cast.

    Olyrix, 2023
  • Jader Bignamini's conducting is subtle and theatrical.

    Forum Opéra, 2024
  • As Adriana, Anna Netrebko finds a role worthy of her - immense - resources.

    Diapason, 2024
  • In the pit, Jader Bignamini supports and amplifies the momentum of the protagonists on stage by a frank and very neat direction.

    Olyrix, 2024

Access and services

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

Public transport

Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

Calculate my route
Car park

Q-Park Opéra Bastille 34, rue de Lyon 75012 Paris

Book your parking spot
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Imagined as benchmark, richly illustrated booklets, the programmes can be bought online, at the box offices, in our shops, and in the theatres hall on the evening of the performance.

BUY THE PROGRAM
  • Cloakrooms

    Free cloakrooms are at your disposal. The comprehensive list of prohibited items is available here.

  • Bars

    Reservation of drinks and light refreshments for the intervals is possible online up to 24 hours prior to your visit, or at the bars before each performance.

  • Parking

    You can park your car at the Q-Park Opéra Bastille. It is located at 34 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris. 

    BOOK YOUR PARKING PLACE.

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €35 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €70 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

Public transport

Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

Calculate my route
Car park

Q-Park Opéra Bastille 34, rue de Lyon 75012 Paris

Book your parking spot
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text

Imagined as benchmark, richly illustrated booklets, the programmes can be bought online, at the box offices, in our shops, and in the theatres hall on the evening of the performance.

BUY THE PROGRAM
  • Cloakrooms

    Free cloakrooms are at your disposal. The comprehensive list of prohibited items is available here.

  • Bars

    Reservation of drinks and light refreshments for the intervals is possible online up to 24 hours prior to your visit, or at the bars before each performance.

  • Parking

    You can park your car at the Q-Park Opéra Bastille. It is located at 34 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris. 

    BOOK YOUR PARKING PLACE.

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €35 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €70 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

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Adriana Lecouvreur

Adriana Lecouvreur, the true/false story

Success, love, rivalry and mysterious deaths… Can you get to the bottom of this Adriana Lecouvreur story? You’re up!

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