OPERA
DON QUIXOTE by JULES  MASSENET (1842 – 1912)

BROADCASTING LIVE ON THE RADIO AND ON THE GRAND PLACE OF BRUSSELS
LE 8 MAI 2010 at 20:00 and 20:30
IN THE FRAMEWORK OF EUROPEAN OPERA DAYS

Don Quixote in Bruxelles at Le Monnaie. Cover.

This will be 100 years exactly May 14, 1910, what was created in Belgium the Don Quixote of Jules Massenet, with leading roles sung by Feodor Chaliapin and Lucy Arbell. The celebration of this anniversary will gain a new event: Farewell to the Currency José van Dam. A true “national treasure”, the great Belgian baritone with the Mint maintains links with a steadfast loyalty. For our house is a great honor and a pleasure to welcome him with one of his signature roles in a new production that has seemed a perfect tribute to the 50-year career of an artist who has devoted over 30 at the Mint.

The knight errant dream of a just world: Jules Massenet 68 years when he composed this Don Quixote in 1910. It was at the height of his fame and he puts all his fancy and his melodic sense in the service of this “heroic comedy” whose humor and emotion are the essential drama springs.

A unique event, producing exceptional: Marc Minkowski took the helm of the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of Money and directs for the first time the work of Jules Massenet. He knows the director Laurent Pelly alongside whom he has already conducted several performances
. He will be replaced for four performances by the young English chef Nicholas Jenkins.

This is the first time the Mint will present a staging by Laurent Pelly, which we have yet to taste the talent in the application space – especially for the Mint – the recital by Dame Felicity Lott in 2008. The artist who founded his own theater company at age 18 years, excels in staging funny, serious or melancholic masterpieces of Offenbach, Donizetti, Rossini and Mozart, mounted on all major opera houses worldwide .
The mezzo-soprano Silvia Tro Santafe and Jennifer Larmore, both Angelina Cenerentola our 2008-2009 season, returning to Brussels to interpret for the first time the role of the beautiful Dulcinea. Along with Jose van Dam, bass-baritone Vincent Le Texier French assumes the role of Don Quixote in his debut at the Mint and in the role. Werner Van Mechelen and Lionel Lhote, two generations of Belgian baritone who represent a dazzling success José van Dam in our country, returning in the role of Sancho Panza.
These young singers in the Young Artists Program Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth, all students of Jose van Dam, Julie Mossay Camille Merckx, Gijs van der Linden and Vincent Delhoume which provide respectively the roles of Pedro Garcias, and Juan Rodriguez

.

With the support of Belgacom, this outstanding production will be broadcast live on the big screen, Grand Place, Brussels, and by ARTE, May 8, 2010, under the European Opera Days.

On May 23, 2010 will be held at the mint a special concert “José van Dam, 30/50/70, emotional tribute to 30 years of presence on our stage of the great baritone, with its 50-year international career and his 70th birthday.
GENERAL INFORMATION

Musical Director – Marc Minkowski, Nicholas Jenkins *
Staging, costumes – Laurent Pelly
Set Designer – Barbara de Limburg
Lights – Joel Adam
Chorusmaster – Martino Faggiani
Symphony of the Currency
Chorus of La Monnaie
La Belle Dulcinea – Silvia Tro Santafe & Jennifer Larmore •
Don Quixote – José van Dam & Vincent Le Texier °
Sancho Panza – Werner Van Mechelen & Lionel Lhote °
Garcias – Camille Merckx
Pedro – Julie Mossay
Rodriguez – Gijs van der Linden
Juan – Vincent Delhoume
Chief bandits – Bernard Villiers
Bandits – Does Jacques, Gérard Lavalle, Pascal Macou & Aldo De Vernate
Lackey – Marc Coulon & Andre Gregory