Tour sponsored by
Confident of the interest in his Knights of the Round Table, in 1872 he offered a revised version, which did not focus on Lancelot’s adventures. For Hervé, the Middle Ages were a pretext and backdrop which he used in the same way as Offenbach used antiquity: derision, ridicule, parody, energy and popular melodies all feature in this musical pastiche, where we enjoy following the adventures of ladies Mélusine, Totoche and Angélique. The knights Rodomont and Roland, as well as Merlin, contribute to this hilarious and spirited comedy.
Libretto by Henri Chivot and Alfred Duru
First performance of the original version at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris, November 17, 1866
Final version performed at the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques, Paris, March 2, 1872
New Production from the Opéra de Lausanne
Jacques Blanc studied the piano at the Conservatoire National de Marseille, and orchestra conducting with Jésus Etcheverry. He began as a singing master then became choir master at the Nantes and Strasbourg Operas. He supported Jeffrey Tate and George Prêtre, before becoming a conductor himself in Bordeaux, Montpellier, Limoges, Nice and Nantes. Between 1986 and 1988 he was director of vocal studies at the CNIPAL national opera centre in Marseille. From 1999 to 2010, he became the permanent chorus master and director of vocal studies of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, and contributed to performances such as Turandot, Carmen and La Bohème. He now devotes himself to conducting and the study of repertoire with young singers to guide them in their careers. He recently conducted La Traviata while on tour with the Opéra en Plein Air. At the Opéra de Lausanne: Die Zauberflöte (1991) assisting Armin Jordan; Phi-Phi (2014) and La belle de Cadix (2016) as conductor; Manon (2014), Die lustige Witwe (2014), My Fair Lady (2015), Les mamelles de Tirésias (2016), La vie parisienne (2016), La Bohème, Hamlet and Lucia di Lammermoor (2017), Die Fledermaus (2018) as chorus master.
Jean-François Vinciguerra studied drama at ENSATT, lyric art at the Conservatoire de Paris with Michel Roux and at the Opéra de Paris school of lyric art with Michel Sénéchal. He perfected his technique with Denise Dupleix and Lionel Sarrazin. At the Opéra Bastille, he interpreted Wagner in Faust; at the Opéra Comique, Bartolo in Barbiere di Siviglia and Baron Popoff in Die lustige Witwe. He has also performed in Salome, Lucrezia Borgia, L’elisir d’amore, La damnation de Faust, Les contes d’Hoffmann, in particular, and on many stages throughout Europe and at major festivals. As an actor and director, he was a huge success at the Théâtre du Petit Montparnasse with his show dedicated to Jean Yanne, On n’arrête pas la connerie. At the Opéra de Lausanne: Pickering in My Fair Lady (2015), and Frank in Die Fledermaus (2018).
After a degree in Italian, Laurène Paternò joined the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne as a bachelor and obtained a master’s degree as a soloist in 2019. Within this context, she participated in a Swiss musical performed in Rio de Janeiro on the occasion of the 2016 Olympic Games. She also performed the roles of Blanche de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites) and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro). She then made her debut as Serpina (La serva padrona) in an Opéra de Lausanne production in Bhutan in 2018. She appeared at the Nouvel Opéra de Fribourg as Sofiya, Yelena and a KGB agent in Russell Hepplewhite’s Laika, the Dog in Space. In 2020, was part of the Opéra Comique de Paris programme in a revival of Laïka, le chien dans l’espace. She performed Fille-Fleur in Parsifal at the Grand Théâtre de Genève in 2021, and Mélusine in a revival of Les Chevaliers de la Table ronde at the Opéra Grand Avignon. She is scheduled to perform as Despina (Così fan tutte) at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Théâtre de Caen in 2022. She won first prize in the Kattenburg competition at the Opéra de Lausanne in 2019 and second prize in the Corsica Lirica competition in 2021.
At the Opera of Lausanne, she has performed in: La serva padrona (Bouthan 2018), Les chevaliers de la Table ronde (Route Lyrique 2019), La belle Hélène (2020) and Dédé (Route Lyrique 2021).
After studying the piano at length, Anne-Sophie Petit discovered singing at the Maîtrise de Sainte-Anne d’Auray in Brittany. At the same time as obtaining her Master’s degree in anglophone language and civilization, she obtained her Diploma in Music Studies (Singing) at the Paris regional conservatory before joining Stephan MacLeod’s class at Lausanne’s University of Music, where she is currently studying a Master’s degree course in solo performance. She has interpreted roles such as the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, Sister Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro. She regularly performs with the group Gli Angeli Genève, singing the solo soprano part in Mass in C minor as well as some of Mozart’s concert arias. More recently, she sang non-religious cantatas by Rameau at the Utrecht Early Music Festival. At the Opéra de Lausanne: Musetta in La Bohème (2017), and La Fée in Cendrillon (2018).
Jean-François Vinciguerra studied drama at ENSATT, lyric art at the Conservatoire de Paris with Michel Roux and at the Opéra de Paris school of lyric art with Michel Sénéchal. He perfected his technique with Denise Dupleix and Lionel Sarrazin. At the Opéra Bastille, he interpreted Wagner in Faust; at the Opéra Comique, Bartolo in Barbiere di Siviglia and Baron Popoff in Die lustige Witwe. He has also performed in Salome, Lucrezia Borgia, L’elisir d’amore, La damnation de Faust, Les contes d’Hoffmann, in particular, and on many stages throughout Europe and at major festivals. As an actor and director, he was a huge success at the Théâtre du Petit Montparnasse with his show dedicated to Jean Yanne, On n’arrête pas la connerie. At the Opéra de Lausanne: Pickering in My Fair Lady (2015), and Frank in Die Fledermaus (2018).
For the first time at the Opéra de Lausanne.
Born in Valais, Pierre Héritier began singing at a very young age with the Petits Chanteurs at the Schola de Sion. After university, he joined the Geneva HEM in Gilles Cachemaille’s class. During his studies, he benefitted from having teachers such as Isabelle Henriquez and David Jones. From 2014 to 2017, he was a member of the Studio of the Opéra de Lyon where he worked with Jean-Paul Fouchécourt. At the Opéra de Lyon, he sang the Clock/the Cat (L’enfant et les sortilèges), Madame Madou (Mesdames de la Halle), Tom (Le Petit Poucet, Aboulker), Liberto/Littore (L’incoronazione di Poppea), conducted by Martyn Brabbins, Philippe Forget, Nicholas Jenkins and Sébastien d’Hérin. In October 2017, he won 1st Prize in the men’s category of the Concours International de Vivonne. In 2011, he became a member of the Ambronay European Baroque Academy, conducted by Sigiswald Kuijken. In 2013, he participated in the creation of 4.48 Psychosis by Blaise Ubaldini, conducted by Pierre Bleuse. On stage, he has sung in roles such as Don Giovanni, Papageno, Guglielmo, Junius (The Rape of Lucretia), and Harasta (The Cunning Little Vixen). He was recently a resounding success in the role of Lord Cockburn in Fra Diavolo by Auber in Zurich.
French-Italian mezzo-soprano born in Milan, Beatrice Nani joined the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne in 2014 in Brigitte Balleys’ class and obtained her Master’s degree in 2019. She is currently perfecting her skills with Marie-Ange Todorovitch and Jeanne-Michele Charbonnet. Passionate about theater, she trained with Gaëlle Bourgeois and Fiona Chauvin in Paris, and received valuable advice from Thierry Pillon, Jean-Yves Ruf and Shin Iglesias.
On stage, she was heard in Bouche à bouche by Maurice Yvain at the Théâtre Déjazet in Paris, in Bottesini’s Requiem at the Victoria Hall in Geneva. She created the role of Ella Maillart in Le Ruisseau noir by Guy-François Leuenberger at the Théâtre du Grütli in Geneva and interpreted Lois in Kiss me Kate by Cole Porter at the Théâtre du Galpon in Geneva. During the 2020 edition of the Georges Enesco International Competition in Paris, she won a special prize that will take her to Romania for her debut in the 2020-2021 season.
Accompanied by the young pianist Emilie Roulet, she also performs in concerts with their duo Battements d’Elles.
At the Opéra de Lausanne she performed the role of Louise in La Vie Parisienne in 2016, Cricri in Le chanteur de Mexico in 2017, Armelinde in Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot in 2018 and Duchess Totoche in Les chevaliers de la table ronde by Hervé in 2019. She also gives mediation workshops as part of the Youth Olympic Games in 2020 and creates a show for children, with baritone Joël Terrin.
French tenor Jean Miannay studied singing with Brigitte Balleys at the HEMU and with Scot Weier at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. His first roles were at the Opéra de Lausanne. In September 2021, he performed Ferrando in Così fan tutte in Lausanne and Fribourg, in a co-production between the HEMU and the HEM-Genève. He made his French stage debut in 2020 as Beppe in Pagliacci at the Opéra du Grand Avignon – a production repeated at the Opéra de Vichy, Clermont-Ferrand and the Festival de Saint-Céré. In 2020 he also appeared in the “Magic Night” performed for the first time at the Chorégies d’Orange. He was invited back the following year for a recital entitled “Emerging Scene”. He is expected to appear as Isepo in Ponchielli’s La Gioconda in 2022.
At the Opéra de Lausanne he has performed in : Cendrillon de Pauline Viardot (2018), Les contes d’Hoffmann (2019), Rinaldo (2020), L’auberge du Cheval Blanc (2021) and Semiramide (2022).
The Swiss baritone studied at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne in the class of Frédéric Gindraux, before joining the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London to work with Prof. Rudolf Piernay. He collaborated with Dame Felicity Lott, François Le Roux, Graham Johnson and Eugene Asti. He sings several roles for the Opéra de Lausanne (Melchior in Menotti’s Amahl et les visiteurs du soir, Maximilian in Bernstein’s Candide, Urbain in Offenbach’s La vie parisienne, and creates recitals for children as well as a workshop during the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne in 2020. He is also heard singing Weill’s Berliner Requiem at the Opera Choir’s special concert.
He has worked with the London Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, the BBC and the Wigmore Hall. He is part of the “French Song Exchange” between the Wigmore Hall and the Salle Cortot in Paris, where he has the chance to make his debut in 2019. As a Samling Foundation Artist, Joël Terrin receives the title of Ambassador of Melody for the Oxford Lieder Festival in 2020. He enters the concert placement of the Migros Culture Percentage, of which he is also a scholarship holder, as well as the Friedl-Wald and Colette Mosetti foundations. In 2020 he won the English Song Prize.
Bastien Combe studied the trumpet and singing in Grenoble before continuing his singing training in Neuchâtel with Marcin Habela. He is a finalist of the Lied Mahler competition in Geneva. In concert, he sings the evangelist in Bach’s Weihnachtsoratoruim with the OSR. On stage, he performs the roles of D’Estourville (Ascanio de Saint-Saëns) in Geneva, Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) in Bern. His current works include the role of Herr Schulz in Cabaret at the Théâtre du Galpon.
At the Opéra de Lausanne : Renaud de Montauban in Les chevaliers de la table ronde (2019)
Born in France, Maxence Billiemaz began singing in Paris with the Manécanterie des Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois. He continued his musical studies at the Haute École de Musique de Genève in the class of Stuart Patterson.
The tenor appeared on stage in the roles of Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, Bastien in Mozart’s Bastien Und Bastienne and Demo in Cavalli’s Il Giasone. He also participated in the recording of Ascanio by Camille Saint-Saëns at the Grand Théâtre de Genève and in the lyrical route of the Opéra de Lausanne in the role of Amadis de Gaule, Les chevaliers de la table ronde. Maxence Billiemaz also performs in musicals and interprets the roles of Bill Calhoun in Kiss me Kate by Cole Porter and Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret by John Kander.
Jean-Philippe Guilois entered the National School of the Paris Opera in 1997 and then joined the Rudra Béjart School, with which he participated in several shows and international tours. He had his first professional experience with the Compagnie Buissonnière in Parce que je t’aime, presented at the Théâtre de Vidy. While multiplying his contracts as a dancer, he was introduced to the world of opera as a stage manager, and then became assistant director for La bohème, Nabucco, Carmen and Madama Butterfly at the Avenches Opera Festival, L’Aiglon and La Traviata at the Opéra de Marseille, Armide and Cendrillon at the Opéra de Nancy, Falstaff at the Opéra de Montpellier. Recently, he created the choreography for My Fair Lady at the Opéra de Marseille and Un ballo in maschera for the Opéra de Nancy, Opera Zuid and Angers-Nantes Opéra. He currently devotes himself to the creation of choreographies, plays and stagings.
At the Opéra de Lausanne: Alcina (2011), My Fair Lady (2015), La vie parisienne (2016), Don Giovanni (2017), Così fan tutte (2018), Les chevaliers de la Table ronde (Route Lyrique 2019) and staging and choreography of Dédé (Route Lyrique 2021).
Jacques Blanc studied the piano at the Conservatoire National de Marseille, and orchestra conducting with Jésus Etcheverry. He began as a singing master then became choir master at the Nantes and Strasbourg Operas. He supported Jeffrey Tate and George Prêtre, before becoming a conductor himself in Bordeaux, Montpellier, Limoges, Nice and Nantes. Between 1986 and 1988 he was director of vocal studies at the CNIPAL national opera centre in Marseille. From 1999 to 2010, he became the permanent chorus master and director of vocal studies of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, and contributed to performances such as Turandot, Carmen and La Bohème. He now devotes himself to conducting and the study of repertoire with young singers to guide them in their careers. He recently conducted La Traviata while on tour with the Opéra en Plein Air. At the Opéra de Lausanne: Die Zauberflöte (1991) assisting Armin Jordan; Phi-Phi (2014) and La belle de Cadix (2016) as conductor; Manon (2014), Die lustige Witwe (2014), My Fair Lady (2015), Les mamelles de Tirésias (2016), La vie parisienne (2016), La Bohème, Hamlet and Lucia di Lammermoor (2017), Die Fledermaus (2018) as chorus master.
After training as an electrician, Denis Foucart ventured into the world of events and designed the lighting for many events around the world, including Jean Michel Jarre’s concert, produced in Egpyt to usher in the year 2000. From 2000 to 2003, he was hired as the lighting director for the international tours of musicals Notre dame de Paris and Roméo et Juliette. At the end of 2003, he became the lighting director of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, and designed his first lighting for ballets with Zarathoustra, La vie du danseur and Le tour du monde en 80 minutes.
For the Festival Avenches Opéra, he designed the lighting for La bohème and Nabucco. Head electrician at the Opéra de Lausanne since 2008, he took over the lighting on Pierre et le loup, Die Zauberflöte, La veuve joyeuse, L’enfant et les sortilèges and designed the lighting for Phi-Phi (Route Lyrique 2014), La Belle de Cadix (Route Lyrique 2016), and for the all-age opera, Amahl et les visiteurs du soir, in 2017, Cendrillon in 2018. His lastest creation Les chevaliers de la Table ronde (Route Lyrique 2019).
After her formation as a theatre costume designer, Amélie Reymond was hired at the Lausanne Opera as a seamstress and stylist from 2002 to 2009. She is involved in the costume production for various opera productions. Early in her career she was also entrusted with the complete production of the costumes for Les moutons bleus, in 2008, and for L’enfant et les sortilèges, in 2010. She opened her own studio in 2007, where she creates and directs costumes for various theatres, musicals, dances and exhibitions. She was appointed Assistant Manager of the Costumes Department at the Opéra de Lausanne in 2009, then Head of the Costumes Department in 2016. From 2012 to 2016, she was also directing the costumes for Avenches Opéra; she worked as costume assistant for Carmen, in 2014, and signed her first opera costume creation in 2015 for Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Opéra de Lausanne: she created the costumes for La Belle de Cadix (Route Lyrique 2016), Les Zoocrates (2017) and Les chevaliers de la Table ronde (Route Lyrique 2019).
Jean-Philippe Guilois entered the National School of the Paris Opera in 1997 and then joined the Rudra Béjart School, with which he participated in several shows and international tours. He had his first professional experience with the Compagnie Buissonnière in Parce que je t’aime, presented at the Théâtre de Vidy. While multiplying his contracts as a dancer, he was introduced to the world of opera as a stage manager, and then became assistant director for La bohème, Nabucco, Carmen and Madama Butterfly at the Avenches Opera Festival, L’Aiglon and La Traviata at the Opéra de Marseille, Armide and Cendrillon at the Opéra de Nancy, Falstaff at the Opéra de Montpellier. Recently, he created the choreography for My Fair Lady at the Opéra de Marseille and Un ballo in maschera for the Opéra de Nancy, Opera Zuid and Angers-Nantes Opéra. He currently devotes himself to the creation of choreographies, plays and stagings.
At the Opéra de Lausanne: Alcina (2011), My Fair Lady (2015), La vie parisienne (2016), Don Giovanni (2017), Così fan tutte (2018), Les chevaliers de la Table ronde (Route Lyrique 2019) and staging and choreography of Dédé (Route Lyrique 2021).