Dialogues des Carmélites Is the May 11, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Dialogues des Carmélites is the May 11, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, numbering as the last of 24 in the 2018-2019 season’s schedule.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season revives English opera director John Dexter’s staging of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, which debuted in the opera’s Met Opera premiere Feb. 5, 1977: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 19, 2018

Dialogues des Carmélites is the May 11, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as the last of 24 scheduled Saturday matinee radio broadcasts during the 2018-2019 Met Opera season.

French composer and pianist Francis Poulenc (Jan. 7, 1899-Jan. 30, 1963) wrote the libretto and composed the musical score for Dialogues des Carmélites. His literary source is the dialogue written by French writer Louis Émile Clément Georges Bernanos (Feb. 20, 1888-July 5, 1948), known as Georges Bernanos, for a film screenplay.

The literary source for Bernanos’ screenplay dialogues is Die Letzte am Schafott, a novella published in 1931 by German writer Gertrud von Le Fort (Oct. 11, 1876-Nov. 1, 1971). Le Fort’s novella concerns the Thursday, July 17, 1794, execution of 16 members of the Carmelite order of Compiègne, Oise department, northern France. Subsequently known as the martyrs of Compiègne, they were guillotined during the French Revolution’s suppression of convents and monasteries.

Published posthumously in a quasi-dramatic format in 1951, Bernanos’ last work was first translated into German by German journalist, translator and writer Eckart Peterich (Dec. 16, 1900-April 13, 1968) and published as Die Begnadete Angst (Blessed Fear) in 1951. Peterich’s Die Begnadete Angst premiered June 14, 1951, at Schauspielhaus Zürich (Zurich Playhouse).

French theater director Jacques Hébertot (Jan. 28, 1886-June 19, 1970), pseudonym of André Daviel, subsequently adapted Bernanos’ screenplay dialogues for the French theater. Hébertot’s adaptation of Dialogues des Carmélites premiered May 24, 1952, at Théâtre Hébertot, located at 78 boulevard des Batignolles in the 17th arrondissement (17e arrondissement de Paris), on the Seine’s right bank (rive droite de la Seine).

Poulenc’s operatic version of Dialogues des Carmélites premiered Jan. 26, 1957, at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Lombardy region, north central Italy. The opera’s world premiere was sung in Italian. Italian composer and musicologist Flavio Testi (Jan. 4, 1923-Jan. 14, 2014) translated the original French libretto into Italian.

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Dialogues des Carmélites took place Feb. 5, 1977. The premiere was sung in English, with a libretto translated by Latvian-born musicologist and translator Joseph Machlis (Aug. 11, 1906-Oct. 17, 1998).

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season offers three spring performances of Dialogues des Carmélites. Opening night was Friday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The month’s two additional performances take place Wednesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. and closing night, Saturday, May 11, at 12 p.m. The closing night performance closes the 2018-2019 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast season.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s Dialogues des Carmélites has an estimated run time of 3 hours 9 minutes. Act I spans 87 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 72 minutes.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts all performances. The Metropolitan Opera’s third Music Director made his Metropolitan Opera debut Dec. 31, 2009, in the opera company’s 946th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875). During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Maestro Nézet-Séguin also conducts Pelléas et Mélisande by French Impressionist composer Achille-Claude Debussy (Aug. 22, 1862-March 25, 1918) and La Traviata by 19th century opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Isabel Leonard appears in all performances in her reprised 2012-2013 role as Blanche de la Force, known as Sister Blanche, who overcomes her fear of death to join Constance on the scaffold. The American operatic mezzo-soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Sept. 25, 2007, as Stéphano in the opera company’s 312th performance of Roméo et Juliette by 19th century French composer Charles-François Gounod (June 17, 1818-Oct. 18, 1893). During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Isabel Leonard also performs title roles in Marnie by American contemporary classical music composer Nico Muhly and in Pelléas et Mélisande by French Impressionist composer Achille-Claude Debussy (Aug. 22, 1862-March 25, 1918).

Adrianne Pieczonka appears in all performances in her reprised 2012-2013 role as Madame Lidoine, who, as Mother Marie of St. Augustine, becomes the Carmelite convent’s new prioress. The Canadian soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Feb. 21, 2004, as Lisa in the opera company’s 56th performance of The Queen of Spades by Russian late-Romantic composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky (May 7, 1840-Nov. 6, 1893).

Erin Morley appears in all performances as Constance, a young novice who affirms no fear of death and has a vision of dying with Sister Blanche. The American coloratura soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Feb. 9, 2008, as the First Madrigal in the opera company’s 211th performance of Manon Lescaut by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Erin Morley also performs as Pamina in The Magic Flute by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791) and as Woodbird in Siegfried by German composer and librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

Karen Cargill appears in all performances as Mère Marie, whose rescue of Blanche from servitude in her family mansion leads to Blanche’s brave reunion with Constance on the scaffold. The Scottish mezzo-soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened April 24, 2012, as Waltraute in the opera company’s 231st performance of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Karen Cargill also appears as Erda in Wagner’s Das Rheingold and in Wagner’s Siegfried.

Karita Mattila appears in all performances as Madame de Croissy, who is succeeded by Madame Lidoine as prioress. The Finnish operatic soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened March 22, 1990, as Donna Elvira in the opera company’s 388th performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

David Portillo appears in all performances as Chevalier de la Force, Blanche’s brother, who visits the convent prior to his flight to urge his sister to return to their father. The American tenor debuted Dec. 16, 2015, as Count Almaviva in the Metropolitan Opera’s 614th performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by 19th century Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868).

Dwayne Croft appears in all performances as Marquis de la Force, Blanche’s father, who is guillotined as an aristocrat. The American baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened April 18, 1990, as Fiorello in the opera company’s 442nd performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (Feb. 29, 1792-Nov. 13, 1868). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Dwayne Croft also appears as Baron Douphol in Verdi’s La Traviata.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of Dialogues des Carmélites revive staging by John Dexter (Aug. 2, 1925-March 23, 1990). The English theatre, opera and film director’s staging debuted in the Metropolitan Opera premiere Feb. 5, 1977.

John Dexter’s production team comprises David Reppa, set designer; Jane Greenwood, costume designer; and Gil Wechsler, lighting director. The production’s revival stage director is David Kneuss.

The takeaway for Dialogues des Carmélites as the May 11, 2019, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that Poulenc’s opera airs as the last of the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s Saturday matinee radio broadcasts and as the third of three 2018-2019 season operas conducted by the opera house’s third music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

memorial plaque for 16 Martyrs of Compiègne; Cimetière Picpus (Picpus Cemetery), 12th arrondissement (12e arrondissement de Paris), Seine’s right bank (rive droite de la Seine), Paris, France; Friday, May 28, 2010, 15:45: Wikimedia Commons/Mu, CC BY SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season revives English opera director John Dexter’s staging of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, which debuted in the opera’s Met Opera premiere Feb. 5, 1977: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 19, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160146382220533/

memorial plaque for 16 Martyrs of Compiègne; Cimetière Picpus (Picpus Cemetery), 12th arrondissement (12e arrondissement de Paris), Seine’s right bank (rive droite de la Seine), Paris, France; Friday, May 28, 2010, 15:45: Wikimedia Commons/Mu, CC BY SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plaque_Carmélites_de_Compiègne,_Cimetière_de_Picpus,_Paris_12.jpg

For further information:

Bernanos, Georges. Dialogues des Carmélites. Neuchâtel, Switzerland: La Baconnière; Paris, France: Éditions du Seuil, 1949.

Bruhn, Siglind. Saints in the Limelight: Representations of the Religious Quest on the Post-1945 Operatic Stage. Dimension & Diversity Series No. 5. Hillsdale NY: Pendragon Press, 2003.

“Debut: Adrianne Pieczonka.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 350911 The Queen of Spades {56} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/21/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350911

“Debut: Dwayne Croft.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 300040 Il Barbiere di Siviglia {442} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/18/1990.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=300040

“Debut: Erin Morley.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352344 Manon Lescaut {211} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/09/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352344

“Debut: Isabel Leonard.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352067 Roméo et Juliette {312} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/25/2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352067

"Debuts: Karen Cargill." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354490 Götterdämmerung {231} Ring Cycle [109] Uncut. Metropolitan Opera House: 04/24/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354490

“Debuts: David Portillo, Valeriano Lanchas.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356192 Il Barbiere di Siviglia {614} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/16/2015.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356192

“Debuts: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Richard Eyre, Rob Howell, Irene Bohan, Elizabeth Caballero, Maria Kowroski, Martin Harvey.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353274 New Production Carmen {946} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353274

Le Fort, Gertrud von. Die Letzte am Schafott: Novelle. München (Munich), Germany: Josef Kösel and Friedrich Pustet, 1931.

Marriner, Derdriu. “Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conducts Three 2018-2019 Met Opera Season Operas.” Earth and Space News. Monday, July 2, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/06/2018-2019-metropolitan-opera-season.html

Mesa, Franklin. Opera: An Encyclopedia of World Premieres and Significant Performances, Singers, Composers, Librettists, Arias and Conductors, 1597-2000. Jefferson NC; London, England: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2007.

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "The 2012-13 season isn't over yet! Tomorrow, Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites returns to the Met stage for 3 performances only. http://bit.ly/100n7uS Tomorrow's radio broadcast of the premiere begins at 11:30am. Photo: Ken Howard/Met Opera." Facebook. May 3, 2013.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10152765925115533/

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Live in HD May 1, 2019 Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin leads the classic John Dexter production of Poulenc’s devastating story of faith and martyrdom. Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard sings the touching role of Blanche and soprano Karita Mattila, a legend in her own time, returns to the Met as the Prioress. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2F4eqsX Photo by Ken Howard / Met Opera.” Facebook. Feb. 19, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160146382220533/

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Dialogues des Carmélites.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 248220 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Dialogues des Carmélites {1} Matinee Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 02/5/1977.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=248220

Peterich, Eckart. Die Begnadete Angst. Köln (Cologne), Germany: Jakob Hegner, 1951.