Camilla Nylund as Salomé. Photo: Frédérique Toulet

Salome in its 2003 production is luckily back on the Opera National de Paris program, this time again with a Finish soprano in the titelrole, wonderfully Camilla Nylund. It was impressing to enjoy this soprano, her tunes was brilliantly on the top of the very big orchestra. Her energy and patience in her presentation of the role as Salome was impressing. I am afraid of using too big words, but I found that Camilla Nylund is perhaps the very best Salome I have ever heard and seen on stage.

Camilla Nylund (Salomé) et Thomas Moser (Herodes). Photo: Frédérique Toulet

– Following great in the footsteps to another great Finish soprano Karita Mattila, which did the role last time.

 At her side we enjoyed Vincent Le Texier as Jochanaan, and impressing voice, and with an extraordinary expression at his limited stage playing space.

Thomas Moser was a great Herodes, I trusted in him
. Julia Juon sung Herodias
. Xavier Mas handsome looking and beautiful singing as Narraboth, I want to see and listen to him in even bigger roles. He has the quality, and is young enough.

The Page was Varduhi Abrahamyan. I enjoyed very much all the Judes and Nazareers, their big discussion part was realistic, funny and well sung.

Thomas Moser (Herodes), Julia Juon (Herodias), Xavier Mas (Narraboth) et Varduhi Abrahamyan (Page der Herodias). Photo: Opéra national de Paris/ Frédérique Toulet

The regi by Lev Dodin is good, here is not put in any creasy ideas to spoil the history. His way of building up pictures in the cooperation, or non cooperation between Salome and Jochanaan was very well done.

The scenography and costumes by David Borovsky are perfect and giving a good atmosphere to the production, and still that there are no changes, we are following the moon during all the performance.

Jean Kalman was responsible for the good light.  Beautiful. 

The Orchestra was very well prepared and Alain Altinoglu as conductor did an outstanding work. It sounded great.