8pm, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées:

ANNA NETREBKO & YUSIF EYVAZOV – CONCERT

Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra

Michelangelo Mazza: Music director

Anna Netrebko: Soprano

Yusif Eyvazov: Tenor

Italian opera scenes

Program not yet announced

Everything has been said and written about Anna Netrebko. The Russian-born singer is unquestionably one of the greatest and most renowned sopranos today. Since the start of her meteoric career in 1994, she has established herself as the undisputed prima donna of the 21st century. What strikes you most when you hear her in concert is the immense sonic impact of her voice, which leaves you breathless from the very first note. In recent years, her repertoire has expanded to include superbly dramatic roles, and she now interprets the most impressive heroines of Italian and Russian opera. It is precisely a bouquet of Italian opera scenes that she will perform tonight at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. Accompanied by tenor Yusif Eyvazov, LA Netrebko promises a breathtaking performance of virtuoso power.

Night at leisure.

At 7.30pm, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées :

WERTHER, by J. Massenet

Les Siècles Orchestra

Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine

Marc Leroy-Calatayud: Musical direction

Christof Loy: Stage direction

Benjamin Bernheim: Werther

Marina Viotti: Charlotte

Jean-Sébastien Bou: Albert

Sandra Hamaoui: Sophie

Marc Scoffoni: Le Bailli

Yuri Kissin: Johann

Rodolphe Briand: Schmidt

Orchestre Les Siècles

Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine

Charlotte’s mother wanted her to marry Albert… But when Charlotte meets the poet Werther, she discovers love, but also suffering. Torn between family duty and the torments of passion, will Charlotte remain faithful to her husband or abandon herself to Werther? Inspired by Goethe’s Sufferings of Young Werther, Werther is one of the pinnacles of French opera. First performed in 1892, Massenet’s music overwhelms with its naturalness and the truth of its characters. If Werther’s role is moving, Charlotte’s is not to be outdone, with sublime arias such as the air des Lettres and Du gai soleil plein de flamme. In the past, people used to talk about the poor health of French singing. Those days are over: all the specialists agree that French song is enjoying a new golden age, and this show, directed by the renowned German stage director Christof Loy, will not prove the contrary. The cast at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is of the highest calibre, and almost exclusively French: Benjamin Bernheim (sunny voice, marvellous actor), the remarkable Marina Viotti, whose career and the superb Jean-Sébastien Bou.