Saint François d'Assise

演出简介

De Nederlandse Opera performs the Dutch stage premiere of Olivier Messiaen's only opera 'Saint François d'Assise' conceived as a grandiose ritual about the meaning of life.

For his only opera, the practicing catholic Messiaen wrote his own libretto; as a confession of faith the words were just as important to him as his music. 'Saint François d'Assise' is a large‐scale ritual about the meaning of life in which the actual drama takes place in the orchestra. The opera's key scenes are the Appearance of the Angel, the Healing of the Leper and the Sermon to the Birds.

De Nederlandse Opera (dno) honours the great French composer, born a hundred years ago, with the Dutch stage premiere of this majestic work. Conductor Ingo Metzmacher leads soloists, chorus and the Residentie Orkest; the stage production is in the hands of Pierre Audi, artistic director of dno and of the Holland Festival. The American baritone Rodney Gilfry and the Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling make their dno debuts as Saint François and the Angel.

You will witness the Dutch stage premiere at the Holland Festival 2008 with brilliant musicians!