At the Opéra, the show goes on "outside the walls"!

While the Opéra gets a makeover and prepares for its future, the show goes on "outside the walls". The first season completed "outside the walls" has validated the various venues where the artists performed. Jérôme Brunetière answers questions from La Gazette du Var.

Can you specify the "outside the walls" venues? Jérôme BRUNETIERE. The Zénith de Toulon is one of them, with the creation of a space offering real intimacy between the stage and the audience, which is an important condition for performing opera.

This venue is ideal for the very large operas of the repertoire. I can add the concert hall of the Palais Neptune, which has, during this first season, proven itself by showing its capacity to host large concerts and operas in concert version. This made it possible to showcase the quality of its acoustics.

to set up microphones. It is a seasonal event that we will sustain season after season. And for the rest of the season?

JB. We collaborate with the Scène Nationale, and therefore with the Théâtre Liberté, which is a wonderful place to perform operas of smaller dimensions than those presented at the Zénith. The orchestra pit at the Théâtre Liberté does not allow for the performance of the entire repertoire, but a very beautiful part of it, with very pleasant acoustics.

The final venue is Châteauvallon, which we have just experienced in a Grand Opéra format. This venue kept all its promises. What a wonder to see a show at Châteauvallon!

There is a natural acoustic that works very well, we do not need There is a certain faith reigning for this second season "outside the walls"? JB. It is with great confidence that we enter this second season outside the walls.

All the teams at the Opéra have adapted to the operations of these venues and have succeeded in producing very beautiful shows. The spectators accompanied us on this journey. They were numerous and loyal.

Many of them want to return or want to discover places they have not yet tested. The people who experienced these venues testify that, thanks to them, opera remains very alive and deeply rooted in our region while waiting to flourish again in the main building. What are the prospects for the start of the new season?

JB. We received a very nice invitation from Sébastien Vialatte, the mayor of Six-Fours-Les-Plages, who had the Parc de la Méditerranée redeveloped, a place that has often hosted concerts. This space has been reworked.

We have the honor of inaugurating this "new formula" Parc de la Méditerranée with a concert taking place on September 8. Tell us about this concert on September 8... JB.

This concert is very prestigious because two great stars of the opera world, the Soprano, Adriana González and a tenor with a wonderful international career, Freddie De Tommaso, will be present. These two artists will perform with the orchestra of the Opéra de Toulon and its new musical director, the maestro Victorien Vanoosten, a singers to show us the best of their vocal quality. It is one of the major highlights of the season with the choir and the orchestra.

A great reputation, isn't it? JB. Indeed, this reflects the renown of these two artists but also the growing renown of the orchestra of the Opéra de Toulon, since this concert will be repeated at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris on October 7 as part of the "Les Grandes voix" series.

A very encouraging prospect for everyone, which contributes to the influence of Toulon. A prestigious date to share with the audience? JB.

On September 19, we will have the first symphonic concert of the season, conducted by Debussy. Then, we will play the overture "Les Maîtres chanteurs de Nuremberg", which is a majestic overture from this immense opera by Wagner, showcasing the orchestra in all its majestic sounds. As well as the very beautiful piano concerto by Sergueï Rachmaninov, which will be performed by Sergeï Babayan at the piano.

This will be a very great concert evening. Another event not to be missed? JB.

The first opera of the season will be performed on October 18 and 20 at the Zénith de Toulon, "La Force du destin", an essential work by Giuseppe Verdi. Victorien Vanoosten will conduct it. It is grand opera in all its splendor, with a very beautiful international cast.

"La Force du destin" is a great tragedy with an epic dimension and the opportunity for the singers to show us the best of their vocal quality. It is one of the major highlights of the season with the choir and the orchestra. These great concerts and this masterpiece by Verdi will be a wonderful introduction to the 2024-2025 season.