La Calisto
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La Calisto – Francesco Cavalli | Opera
Duration: approximately 2h45
Sung in Italian, with surtitles in French/English.
Performance with audio description: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 7:30 PM
The delights of love in Jupiter's kingdom under the baton of Sébastien Daucé.
The libretto of Cavalli's La Calisto is based on Ovid's Metamorphoses, a remarkable pagan bible where desire in all its forms governs the creation of the world. This is exemplified by the constellation of the Big Dipper, formed by the nymph Calisto when she was transformed into a bear by the jealous Juno. Nearly a century before the creation of Handel's Semele or its twin Platée by Rameau, La Calisto stands out as one of the first musical interpretations of the extravagant loves of Jupiter, the Don Juan of Olympus. This Calisto is one of the most beautiful jewels of Venetian opera, characterized by the blending of genres and situations: tenderness, languor, misunderstandings, debauchery, lust, betrayal, jealousy... And what if Olympus were just a mirror of the human world?
Program and cast
Sébastien Daucé | Conductor
Jetske Mijnssen | Director
Julia Katharina Berndt | Set Design
Kathrin Brunner | Dramaturgy
Hannah Clark | Costumes
Bernd Purkrabek | Lighting
Lauranne Oliva | Calisto
Zachary Wilder | Linfea
Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian | Endimione
Milan Siljanov | Giove / Diana
Dominic Sedgwick | Mercurio
Anna Bonitatibus | Giunone / Eternita
Giuseppina Bridelli | Diana
Petr Nekoranec | Natura / Pane / Coro
NN | Satirino / Coro / Furia
José Coca Loza | Silvano
Ensemble Correspondances
New production of the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence
Coproduction Théâtre des Champs-Élysées | Ensemble Correspondances | Opéra de Rennes | Angers-Nantes Opéra | Théâtre de Caen
In partnership with france.tv
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
The Théâtre des Champs- Elysées is undoubtedly one of the finest venues in Paris . Built in 1913 , it has the distinction of having been designed by a group of artists architects Henry Van de Velde and Auguste Perret , the painter and sculptor Antoine Bourdelle , the painter Maurice Denis , and the crystal- René Lalique to do mention the main ones . He was the first Parisian theater to be built entirely of reinforced concrete.
Restoration of the Great Hall devoted to operatic performances , symphony concerts and dance was decided in 1985. Two years later , on 23 September 1987, the theater reopened its doors , completely renovated. Fifteen years after this important work it was decided to undertake a new renovation campaign , but to prevent the complete closure of the theater for an entire season , work is now carried by step during the summer . Then it is to replace aging equipment , to remedy wear certain parts of the theater and improve spectator comfort and artists during their visit . Thus in recent years, including the work involved the renovation of marble facade, replacing the carpet in the room with wooden floors , installation of a new fully decorated wooden concert to a significant improvement of acoustics, the orchestra pit and stage below .
The Théâtre des Champs- Elysées is now a modern working tool receiving each year nearly 300,000 spectators and a few thousands of artists and collaborators.
The Théâtre des Champs- Elysées , the jewel of French architecture of the twentieth century, was in 1953 one of the first buildings of contemporary architectural heritage to be classified as historic monuments . Since 1970 the Caisse des Dépôts owns the entire building 15 avenue Montaigne and principal patron of the theater.
For over a century, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has been the place where the most celebrated artists have come to make their names in Paris. The world’s finest orchestras and world-class soloists have always been a fixture at the Theatre. Théâtre des Champs-Elysées presents more than 200 concerts each year and is renowned for its outstanding performances of all genres, from classical music concerts and staged opera to contemporary dance and jazz.
How to reach us:
Subway: Alma-Marceau (line 9), Franklin D.Roosevelt (line 1), Pont de l’Alma (RER line C)
Bus: n° 42, 63, 72, 80, 92
Taxi station: Place de l’Alma, corner of avenue George V
Car park: Alma George V. The entrance is in front of n° 19, avenue George V
Fixed rate depending on the length of the performance. Payment upon entering.