Laurent Pelly
Encyclopedia
Laurent Pelly is a French opera
and theatre director. At the age of 18, he founded the Compagnie Théâtrale du Pélican which, since 1982, has been co-directed by Agathe Mélinand . From 1994, he became associated with Le Centre Dramatique National des Alpes - Grenoble (the National Dramatic Center of the Alps) in Grenoble
, and has been its director since 1997.
In over twenty years, Pelly has staged more than fifty theatrical productions, now expanding further into directing opera productions. In the six years after 1998 in particular, he directed (with Marc Minkowski
as conductor), productions for the Opéra National de Paris of La Belle Hélène
, the Tales of Hoffmann, La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein
, all by Jacques Offenbach
, Rameau's Platée
, and Ariadne auf Naxos
in addition to others. He also designs the costumes for all his productions.
In late 2005 Pelly directed five opera by Offenbach in a mini-festival for the Opéra National de Lyon
. In addition to a staged presentation of Les Contes d'Hoffmann
, there were concert performances of Les Fées du Rhin, M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . .
, Un Petit Voyage dans la Lune, and L'Ile de Tulipatan
. Increasingly, Pelly is becoming known in London, Vienna, New York, Amsterdam (for The Love for Three Oranges
), Barcelona and many other houses in both Europe and the United States.
Specifically, he has directed Offenbach's La belle Hélène for the Santa Fe Opera
in 2003, which was described as "a colorful, zippy production....that included a flying bed, a shower taken onstage, and enough energy to light up Los Alamos". For the company's 50th Anniversary season in 2006, Pelly directed Jules Massenet
's seldom staged Cendrillon
, (Cinderella), where "his production was attuned to the multiple layers of the opera and added an interesting one of his own. He will return to Santa Fe in 2007 with a new production of Rameau's Platée
. Other planned productions in 2007 include La fille du régiment
for Vienna and London (with Natalie Dessay
) and La voix humaine
for Lyon.
As stage director, many of Pelly's productions have been filmed and have appeared on French television. Several are available on DVDs.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and theatre director. At the age of 18, he founded the Compagnie Théâtrale du Pélican which, since 1982, has been co-directed by Agathe Mélinand . From 1994, he became associated with Le Centre Dramatique National des Alpes - Grenoble (the National Dramatic Center of the Alps) in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, and has been its director since 1997.
In over twenty years, Pelly has staged more than fifty theatrical productions, now expanding further into directing opera productions. In the six years after 1998 in particular, he directed (with Marc Minkowski
Marc Minkowski
Marc Minkowski is a French conductor of classical music, especially known for his interpretations of French Baroque works. His mother is American, and his father was Alexandre Minkowski, a Polish-French professor of pediatrics and one of the founders of neonatology...
as conductor), productions for the Opéra National de Paris of La Belle Hélène
La belle Hélène
La belle Hélène , opéra bouffe in three acts, is an operetta by Jacques Offenbach to an original French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy...
, the Tales of Hoffmann, La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein
La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein
La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein is an opéra bouffe , in three acts and four tableaux by Jacques Offenbach to an original French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy...
, all by Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
, Rameau's Platée
Platée
Platée is an opera in a prologue and three acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau with a libretto by Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d'Orville. Rameau bought the rights to the libretto Platée ou Junon Jalouse by Jacques Autreau and had d'Orville modify it...
, and Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos is an opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Bringing together slapstick comedy and consuming beautiful music, the opera's theme is the competition between high and low art for the public's attention.- First version :The opera was originally...
in addition to others. He also designs the costumes for all his productions.
In late 2005 Pelly directed five opera by Offenbach in a mini-festival for the Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon
Opéra National de Lyon is an opera company in Lyon, France which performs in the Nouvel Opéra, a modernized version in 1993 of the original 1831 opera house.The inaugural performance of François-Adrien Boïeldieu's La Dame blanche was given on 1 July 1831...
. In addition to a staged presentation of Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann is an opéra by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on short stories by E. T. A...
, there were concert performances of Les Fées du Rhin, M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . .
M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le . . .
M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le... is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, in one act by Jacques Offenbach and the Duc de Morny...
, Un Petit Voyage dans la Lune, and L'Ile de Tulipatan
L'Île de Tulipatan
L'île de Tulipatan is an opéra bouffe , in one act by Jacques Offenbach to an original French libretto by Henri Chivot and Alfred Duru....
. Increasingly, Pelly is becoming known in London, Vienna, New York, Amsterdam (for The Love for Three Oranges
The Love for Three Oranges (Prokofiev)
The Love for Three Oranges, Op. 33, also known by its French language title L'amour des trois oranges , is a 1919 satirical opera by Sergei Prokofiev...
), Barcelona and many other houses in both Europe and the United States.
Specifically, he has directed Offenbach's La belle Hélène for the Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
in 2003, which was described as "a colorful, zippy production....that included a flying bed, a shower taken onstage, and enough energy to light up Los Alamos". For the company's 50th Anniversary season in 2006, Pelly directed Jules Massenet
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...
's seldom staged Cendrillon
Cendrillon
Cendrillon is an opera—described as a "fairy tale"—in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Cain based on Perrault's 1698 version of the Cinderella fairy tale. The scenario was conceived by Massenet and Cain at the Cavendish Hotel while they were in London for the...
, (Cinderella), where "his production was attuned to the multiple layers of the opera and added an interesting one of his own. He will return to Santa Fe in 2007 with a new production of Rameau's Platée
Platée
Platée is an opera in a prologue and three acts by Jean-Philippe Rameau with a libretto by Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d'Orville. Rameau bought the rights to the libretto Platée ou Junon Jalouse by Jacques Autreau and had d'Orville modify it...
. Other planned productions in 2007 include La fille du régiment
La fille du régiment
La fille du régiment is an opéra comique in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. It was written while the composer was living in Paris, with a French libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard.La figlia del reggimento, a slightly different Italian-language version , was...
for Vienna and London (with Natalie Dessay
Natalie Dessay
Natalie Dessay is a French coloratura soprano. She dropped the silent "h" in her first name in honor of Natalie Wood when she was in grade school and subsequently simplified the spelling of her surname outside France...
) and La voix humaine
La voix humaine
La voix humaine is a one-act opera for one character, with music by Francis Poulenc to a libretto by Jean Cocteau, based on his 1930 play. La voix humaine was first performed at the Opéra-Comique, Salle Favart in Paris on 6 February 1959...
for Lyon.
As stage director, many of Pelly's productions have been filmed and have appeared on French television. Several are available on DVDs.
External links
- Le Centre Dramatique National des Alpes - Grenoble (French)
- Interview about his opera stagings on Odb-opera.com (French)
- Biography (French) on the Lyons Opera House Website