The Opera Monte-Carlo has announced its new 2021-22 season that is set to feature some serious operatic productions, including Madame Butterfly.
In this year of change, the Opera Monte-Carlo has announced the 2021-22 season with both excitement and a heavy heart. Excitement for the spectacular productions coming out and a heavy heart knowing this will be Jean-Louis Grinda’s final season with the Opera, running through the end of 2022.
Cecilia Bartoli will then take the reins, bringing with her a huge talent, dedication and artistic intuition, and ringing in a whole new era for the Opera as the first woman to hold the position of Artistic Director.
The season will open with a recital by Angela Gheorghiu on 8th October accompanied by pianist Jeff Cohen. The programme will include works by Durante, Paisiello, Bellini, Donizetti, Tosti, Respighi, Schumann, Strauss, Rachmaninov, Rameau, Martini, Debussy, Massenet, Brediceanu, Stephanescu, Flotow, and Satie.
This will be followed by three dates from 16th to 21st November with one of the opera world’s most beloved pieces, Madame Butterfly, conducted by Giampaolo Bisanti and featuring Annalisa Stroppa, Marcelo Puente, and Massimo Cavaletti.
Then on 19th November, Monaco gets a Spanish flair with Placido Domingo, Saioa Hernandez and Ismael Jordi for an invitation-only event at the Grimaldi Forum.
To finish up the year, but not the season, on 12th and 14th December Massimo Zanetti conducts the rarely performed Verdi opera, Il Corsaro. Giogrio Berrugi plays Corrado and Irina Lungu takes on the role of Medora in this musical rendition based on Lord Byron’s long-form poem The Corsair.
In her opening letter, Princess Caroline, who presides over the opera, says: “It is special because of the strangeness of the period we are going through, with the deep gratitude that I feel for the artists and teams thanks to whom cultural activity continues in the Principality.”
The Opera Monte-Carlo will continue into 2022 with a Cecilia Bertoli led Jean-Louis Grinda production of Il Turco in Italia.
In the coming weeks, a full schedule will be available on the company’s website at https://www.opera.mc/
Top photo by Michael and Cedric Studio Delestrade
New Opera season line-up revealed
