Médée at Opéra Comique - Opéra Comique

Location

Opéra Comique
Place Boieldieu - 75002 Paris
Capacity 1200 seats

Duration

2 h 40 min

With intermission

Details

Opera

For all audiences

In French with French and English surtitles

HIGHLIGHTS: MÉDÉE

Médée, a comic opera in three acts composed by Luigi Cherubini and premiered in 1797, stands out for its singular position in the operatic landscape. This powerful work explores the themes of revenge, betrayal, and maternal love with a dramatic intensity rarely seen in comic opera.

François-Benoît Hoffman's libretto, inspired by the Greek myth of Medea, plunges us into the fury of a woman scorned by her lover Jason. Cherubini's music is exceptionally rich and expressive, and accompanies the heroine's torments with great force. The symphonies, ensembles, and choruses follow one another with remarkable fluidity, creating a palpable dramatic tension.

This opera is a unique combination of tragedy and comedy, and alternates between sung passages and dialogue in alexandrine, giving it a depth and complexity uncommon in this genre. This innovation makes it possible to explore the psychological nuances of the characters and accentuate the realism of the plot, along with how it corresponds to the modern age.

We can't wait to see Médée as accompanied by the Insula Orchestra, conducted by Laurence Equilbey, and directed by Marie-Éve Signeyrole at the Opéra Comique — a trifecta of immaculate talent to accentuate this timeless story.
Better yet, the cast includes the crème de la crème of opera singers: Lebanese-Canadian soprano Joyce El-Khoury, French tenor Julien Behr, Franco-Irish baritone Edwin Crossley-Mercer, and French soprano Lila Dufy.

Next dates

SYNOPSIS OF MÉDÉE

Come and discover a Greek tragedy set to music right in the heart of Paris! The stage of the Opéra Comique welcomes Cherubini’s Médée, the Greek magician betrayed by her lover Jason, and brings her story to life.

Abandoned and humiliated, Medée swears revenge. She manipulates Creon, King of Corinth, into allowing Jason to marry his daughter Dircé. But her cunning scheme is designed to destroy Jason's happiness and deprive him of his children.
To discover how this story ends, you’ll have to experience the show for yourself!

The role of Medée, played by a soprano, is vocally and dramatically demanding. The protagonist has to express a range of intense emotions, from rage to pain to maternal tenderness, in rapid succession.
The role has been played by legendary singers such as Maria Callas and Renata Scotto, who have contributed to the work's renown. Why not discover her awe-inspiring character for yourself?

Come and experience Médée — an astonishing tragedy, of which the emotional depth is rivalled only by the exceptional capabilities of a top-rate cast.

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Opéra Comique

Place Boieldieu - 75002 Paris

History and Fun Facts about the Opéra Comique

If you take a walk in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, you will be delighted to discover in the small, quaint Place Boieldieu, a superb building of beautiful proportions topped by six caryatids: the Opéra Comique, a theatre house in Paris, which celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2015. You will be surprised to learn that this gold and red auditorium, also known as Salle Favart, is considered the first modern theatre in France because it was the first to be designed with fully electric equipment for both public and stage lighting.

That doesn’t rest as the only surprise… Despite its name, the Opéra Comique doesn’t only perform comic operas, a particular kind of musical show that mixes sung arias with spoken theatre (the ancestor of the musical), but a wide range of operas as well! It was in this venue that works that are now internationally known were created, such as Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust, Delibes's Lakmé, Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande... but also Massenet's Manon and Bizet's Carmen! This hall has welcomed the finest composers and never ceased to welcome works from the contemporary repertoire. Viva la musica! Viva l'opera!

Fast facts
Capacity: 1200
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Air conditioning: No
Heating: Yes
Coat Check: Yes (free service)

opera comique plan de salle seating chart

FAQ

How do I get to the Opéra Comique in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris?

The Opéra Comique is accessible by:
Metro: Line 3 (stations Opéra and Quatre Septembre), line 7 (station Opéra), line 8 (station Grands Boulevards), line 9 (station Grand Boulevard)
RER: Line A (station Auber)
Address: 1 place Boieldieu, 75002 Paris
In case of difficulty, our hotline can be reached during our business hours. Please see the footer of this page for our contact details.

What do I do when I get to Opéra Comique?

We invite you to arrive 45 minutes before the beginning of Médée, and present your voucher at the front desk. Opéra Comique’s English-speaking staff members will guide you to your seats.

How long does the opera, Médée, last?

The opera Médée at Opéra Comique lasts approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, with intermission.

Is Médée for an international audience or French speakers?

Both! The Opéra Comique has been welcoming audiences from all over the world for many years. The opera, Médée, is sung in its original French version. Surtitles are provided in both French and English so that international audiences can appreciate this opera in this incredible Parisian venue.

Can I choose my seat when booking?

No, unfortunately it is not possible to choose your seat when booking for Médée. However, you can choose the category and we will allocate you the best seats in the chosen category!
Please note that tickets of the same category that are booked during the same purchase session, in the same booking order on our website are always assigned side by side. To be sure of this, make sure all of your tickets are in the same category and are included in your shopping cart at the time of purchase.
You can find the seating plan in the theatre’s "photo" section on this page.
If there are no available adjacent seating arrangements, our customer service team will contact you before the booking is confirmed.

Is there a dress code at Opéra Comique?

There is no specific dress code at Opéra Comique, but proper attire is appreciated. Many Parisians will arrive directly from work, dressed in business casual or chic attire.