La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein

Opéra-bouffe in 3 acts and 4 tableaux by Jacques Offenbach
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy.
First performed at Théâtre des Variétés in Paris on 12 April 1867.

Production of the Grand Théâtre de Genève
At the Grand Théâtre de Genève

Sung in French with English and French surtitles
Mon 15 dec 14 – 19:30
Wed 17 dec 14 – 19:30
Fri 19 dec 14 – 19:30
Sun 21 dec 14 – 15:00
Tue 23 dec 14 – 19:30
Fri 26 dec 14 – 19:30
Mon 29 dec 14 – 19:30
Wed 31 dec 14 – 19:30

“One couldn’t dream of a more hilarious assault on military vainglory, with all its plumes and braids and paraphernalia.” La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein discharges the full satirical fire-power of Jacques Offenbach’s comic operas on the world of warmongering. In the imaginary Grand Duchy of Gerolstein, plots are hatched, strategies developed and wars are even simulated to satisfy the whims of the Grand Duchess, who is besotted with the manly young soldier Fritz, who unfortunately only has eyes for his fiancée Wanda. With a premiere during the Paris Exhibition of 1867, in the presence of French Emperor Napoleon III, the Prussian King (soon to be Kaiser) Wilhelm and many other royal and political personalities in Paris for the event, La Grande-Duchesse du Gérolstein played to full house after full house, leaving the audience in stitches. With a drum roll and the boom of canons echoing General Boum’s bombastics, Offenbach’s beloved operetta is a fitting conclusion to a year of lyric victories!

Musical Director Franck Villard

Stage Director and Costume Designer Laurent Pelly

Associate Stage Director Christian Räth

Set Designer Chantal Chantal

Associate Costume Designer Jean-Jacques Delmotte

Libretto & dialogue adaptation Agathe Mélinand

Choreographer Laura Scozzi

Lighting Designer Joël Adam

CAST

La Grande-Duchesse Ruxandra Donose

Ruxandra Donose

Bénédicte Tauran

Wanda Bénédicte Tauran

Fritz Fabio Trümpy

Le Général Boum Jean-Philippe Lafont

Le Baron Puck Boris Grappe

Le Prince Paul Rodolphe Briand

Le Baron Grog Michel de Souza

Népomuc Fabrice Farina

Iza Julienne Walker

Olga Marina Lodygensky

Amélie Marion Jacquemet

Charlotte Ahlima Mhamdi

A notary Nicolas Carré

Grand Théâtre Opera Chorus
Director Alan Woodbridge
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande