Spain Poulenc, Dialogues des Carmelites: Soloists, Chorus Generalitat Valenciana, Orchestra Comunitat Valenciana / Riccardo Minasi (conductor). Palau de Les Arts, Valencia, 2.2.2025. (JMI)
What a splendid opera Dialogues des Carmelites is when it is done well! There are no famous arias that fans expect but simply music of superb quality. It is rare to have the opportunity to attend an opera where the audience experiences with intensity what is offered on the stage and comes from the pit. This is what happened in Valencia with an exceptional stage production, a musical direction worthy of praise and a vocal cast where there are no big names. In short, a great evening!
The production by Robert Carsen is currently owned by Amsterdam’s Dutch National Opera and it is more than twenty years old – at least, that is the number of years since I saw it for the first time at Milan’s La Scala with Riccardo Muti conducting. It could later be seen at Madrid’s Teatro Real and in Oviedo, and it always met with success.
This is not surprising since it is a production that is beautiful in its simplicity. The stage consists just of panels and achieves the necessary atmosphere in each scene with the addition of simple elements which always reflect Robert Carsen’s imagination. The production centers on the characters, and the direction is magnificent. The martyrdom of the Carmelite nuns is particularly striking, although it seems to me somewhat questionable that their death takes place almost at a dance tempo.
The conductor was Riccardo Minasi, current musical director of the Genoa Opera, and his reading was outstanding throughout the opera. He took intense care of the relationship between the pit and the stage without ever covering the singers and he drew a marvelous sound from the orchestra as well as from the numerous chorus members.
Blanche de la Force, the main protagonist, was played by soprano Alexandra Marcellier who gave a good performance in terms of both singing and acting. Veteran Doris Soffel was an excellent Madame de Croissy or First Prioress. The scene of her death was striking from beginning to end and was recognized as such by the audience.
The second Prioress, Madame de Lidoine was played by mezzo-soprano Ambur Braid who was a fine interpreter with a voice well-suited to the part. The other two important nuns in the opera also did well: mezzo-soprano Michèle Losier as Mother Maris and soprano Sandra Hamaoui as Sister Constance.
Tenor Valentin Thill made a good impression as the Chevalier de la Force. Bass-baritone Nicolas Cavallier was adequate in the part of the Marquis de la Force.
José M. Irurzun
Production
Director– Robert Carsen
Sets – Michael Levine
Costumes – Falk Bauer
Lighting – Robert Carsen, Cor van den Brink
Choreography – Philippe Giraudeau
Chorus director – Jordi Blanch Tordera
Cast:
Blanche de la Force – Alexandra Marcellier
Madame de Croissy – Doris Soffel
Madame de Lidoine – Ambur Braid
Mère Marie – Michèle Losier
Soeur Constance – Sandra Hamaoui
Marquis de la Force – Nicolas Cavallier
Chevalier de la Force – Valentin Thill
Mère Jeanne – Marina Rodríguez-Cusi
Soeur Mathilde – Laura Fleur
Chaplain – Michael Colvin