Synopsis
Shortly after marrying Anna, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, Roberto abandons her for another woman. She dies of grief. To avenge his daughter, the old Guglielmo summons the Villis, supernatural beings who, at night, punish unfaithful lovers.
About the production
Inspired by the legend of Giselle, this early work by Giacomo Puccini was composed for a competition and marked the beginning of one of the most remarkable careers in Italian opera. For this major co-production between institutions in the South of France, staging is entrusted to Stefano Poda, a multidisciplinary artist known for his ability to elevate dreamlike and fantastical worlds.
On the podium, conductor Valerio Galli, a devoted interpreter of Puccini’s music and recipient of the 2013 Puccini Prize for his career, leads the performance.
Production
New production
Co-production Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur, Opéra Grand Avignon, Opéra Toulon Provence Méditerranée, Opéra de Marseille
Opera-ballet in two acts by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Ferdinando Fontana
Premiere at Teatro dal Verme, Milan, 31 May 1884
Musical direction Valerio Galli
Stage direction, sets, costumes, lighting & choreography Stefano Poda
Artistic collaboration Paolo Giani
Guglielmo Wulf Armando Noguera
Anna Vanessa Goikoetxea
Roberto Thomas Bettinger
Narrator Monica Guerritore
Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice
Chœur de l’Opéra de Nice
