Hamlet | Opera

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A glass of champagne

First part

Act 1:
Hamlet is disgusted to see his mother, a mere two months after his father’s death, marry his brother. Mourning is followed by wedding and coronation celebrations. Despite the human fickleness that surrounds him, Hamlet tells Ophelia that she can doubt everything but his love. Hamlet learns from Horatio and Marcellus that they have seen his father’s Spectre. On the Esplanade where Hamlet has followed his friends, the Spectre appears to him and reveals that he was betrayed by Gertrude, his wife, and murdered by his brother, the new King. The Spectre calls upon his son to avenge him.
 

Act 2:
Ophelia complains of Hamlet’s cold and distant attitude. The Queen, distressed by her son’s attitude, hopes that Ophelia will be able to bring him reason and peace. The King and the Queen seek to reassure themselves: Hamlet suspects nothing. Hamlet refuses to call the King “father” when the latter suggests it. Upon hearing of their arrival, Hamlet informs the King and Queen that actors will entertain them during the evening. Hamlet asks the actors to perform the tragedy of King Gonzago and Queen Genever. The murder of the King that the play portrays should make his father-in-law and his mother react. This is what happens. Hamlet then calls for revenge and the death of the culprit. In a state of delirium, Hamlet falls into the arms of Marcellus and Horatio while the whole court remains distraught.

Second part

Act 3:
Hamlet is alone. “To be or not to be... oh mystery... to die... to sleep... perchance to dream”: such is Hamlet’s entry into metaphysics. He discovers that the King is not far from him. He hesitates to kill him when he discovers him kneeling in prayer, since repentance, he thinks, might save his soul. Polonius, Ophelia’s father, is talking to the King. Hamlet deduces that he was an accomplice in his father’s death. He then declares to Ophelia that she must lock herself away in a convent. He no longer believes in anything, not even in love. His soul is like marble, he declares to her. Ophelia is desperate. The Queen tries to reason with her son. But his violence and his rejection frighten her. Hamlet tells her that he knows everything and that he will take revenge. The Spectre appears to remind Hamlet to leave the Queen to the judgment of Heaven and to go after the murderous King.
 

Act 4:
Alone, Ophelia, who calls herself “Hamlet’s wife”, plunges into madness, sinks into the water of a river and dies.
 

Act 5:
Hamlet speaks with two gravediggers who have forgotten the name of the person for whom the grave they are digging is intended. Hamlet mourns Ophelia without knowing that she is dead. Laertes, in despair over his sister’s death, reveals Ophelia’s demise to Hamlet. When the funeral procession arrives, Hamlet wants to commit suicide. Horatio and Marcellus prevent him from doing so. The Spectre appears. This time, in full view of everyone, Hamlet kills the King, “my father’s murderer”. “Live for your people, it is God that makes you King”, declares the Spectre to his son.

CHARACTERS

Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, son of Gertrude
Ophelia: Daughter of Polonius engaged to Hamlet
Gertrud: Queen of Denmark and wife of Claudius
Claudius: King of Denmark and uncle of Hamlet
Laërte: Ophelia’s brother
The King’s Spectre: Ghost of Hamlet’s father
Horatio and Marcellus: Friends of Hamlet
Polonius: Lord Chamberlain    

Program and cast

Opera in five acts (1868)

After William Shakespeare

Language : French

Surtitle : French / English

Duration : 3h40 with 1 interval

First part: 130 min

Intermission: 40 min

Second part: 50 min

Creative team

Ambroise Thomas: Music(1811 - 1896)

Jules Barbier: Libretto

Michel Carré: Libretto

Michael Schønwandt: Conductor

Ching-Lien Wu: Chorus master

Krzysztof Warlikowski: Director

Małgorzata Szczęśniak: Set design and costume design

Felice Ross: Lighting design

Denis Guéguin: Video

Claude Bardouil: Choreography

Sophie Laplane: Choreography

Christian Longchamp: Dramaturgy

Cast

John Osborn: Hamlet

Adela Zaharia: Ophélie

Clémentine Margaine: Gertrude

Jean Teitgen: Claudius

Julien Henric: Laërte

Laurent Naouri: Spectre du roi défunt

Manase Latu: Marcellus

Vartan Gabrielian: Horatio

André Heyboer: Polonius

Morgan-Andrew King: Premier fossoyeur

Bergsvein Toverud: Deuxième fossoyeur 

Orchestre et Chœurs de l’Opéra national de Paris