Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique

In “Les Troyens” Hector Berlioz tells the story of Virgil’s heroes of the Trojan War, including events both before and after the war. In his five-act opera, the French Romantic composer successfully presented the great characters of ancient myth as living, feeling human beings – with a music of visionary beauty and imposing lyricism. The first complete performance was given in December 1890 on two consecutive evenings at the Court Theatre in Karlsruhe – because this musical tragedy contains enough material for two theatrical works. Part One focuses on Cassandre, the soothsayer barely mentioned by Virgil, who is unable to persuade the Trojans of the dangers of the wooden horse. Part Two tells of the tragic fate of Didon. She loves Énée, the tragic hero who has escaped from Troy, who ultimately abandons her in order to fulfil the gods’ mission of founding Rome. “Can you imagine”, Berlioz wrote in July 1856 to Princess Sayn-Wittgenstein, at whose prompting the five-act opera was written: “I have fallen in love, deeply in love, with the Queen of Carthage! I worship her, this magnificent Dido!” John Eliot Gardiner, who celebrates his 80th birthday this year, presents a concert performance of “Les Troyens” by Hector Berlioz together with his Monteverdi Choir and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique – the only German date in their 2023 European tour. This monumental opera, which was never performed in full during the composer’s lifetime, can now be heard in its entirety in Berlin for only the third time, after 1930 and 2010. The role of Cassandre will be sung by Alice Coote – the “superlative British Mezzo” (San Francisco Chronicle). Didon will be performed by the Irish vocalist Paula Murrihy, who is thrilling international audiences with “her brilliant soprano-like mezzo” (Opernglas).

Concert Programme

Hector Berlioz (1803 – 1869)
Les Troyens
Grand opéra in five acts (1856 – 1858)

Libretto by Hector Berlioz after Vergil’s Aeneid

Concert performance
Adapted by John Eliot Gardiner

Cast

Cassandre Alice Coote mezzo soprano
Énée Michael Spyres tenor
Didon Paula Murrihy mezzo soprano
Chorèbe Lionel Lhote baritone
Ascagne Adèle Charvet mezzo soprano
Narbal William Thomas bass
Panthée Ashley Riches bass-baritone
Anna Beth Taylor mezzo soprano
Iopas / Hylas Laurence Kilsby tenor
Hécube Rebecca Evans soprano
Hector / Sentinelle II Alex Rosen bass

Monteverdi Choir
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
John Eliot Gardiner conductor