“Your heart burns on my lips”
An unclassifiable, lyrical and sensual operetta

In 1934, Franz Lehár, composer of The Merry Widow, was at the height of his fame. The premiere of Giuditta at the Vienna State Opera was broadcast live on over a hundred radio stations around the world… On the eve of World War II, Europe gave a triumphant reception to this joyfully apocalyptic music, a “musical comedy” with a libretto by Paul Knepler and Fritz Löhner-Beda.

A singer and dancer at the Alcazar cabaret, this beautiful and mysterious heroine is the Marlene Dietrich of opera – as seen in the movies Morocco and The Blue Angel. With Giuditta – the swan song of the composer and indeed of an entire era – Viennese operetta draws closer to opera, and Lehár to Puccini. Giuditta resembles Tosca in the depth of her passion, or Carmen in her demand for freedom. The South of France, a cruise ship voyage, Morocco: the various settings of the action enable Lehár to give free rein to the many charms of his art, ranging from Viennese waltzes to light, appealing melodies, lush orchestration tinged with exoticism, along with the sensual lyricism of the grand arias. A world away from boring clichés and brimming with contrasts, the music and story culminate in a surprising bittersweet ending.

Pierre-André Weitz’s flamboyant and inventive staging will transport us to the realm of 1930s circus and cabaret. A connoisseur of this repertoire, Viennese conductor Thomas Rösner will be making his debut at the Opéra de Lausanne, conducting the Sinfonietta de Lausanne in the French version of this spellbinding rarity.

Premiere on January 20, 1934, at the Vienna State Opera in Vienna

© KARCZAG EDITIONS

Conductor

Thomas Rösner

Director, Set Design, Costumes

Pierre-André Weitz

Lighting

Bertrand Killy

Choregraphy & Director's Assistant

Ivo Bauchiero

Giuditta

Camille Schnoor

Anita

Sandrine Buendia

Octavio

Julien Henric

Manuel, Lord Barrymore, Son Altesse

Nicolas Rivenq

Séraphin

Jean Miannay

Marcelin, l'Attaché, Ibrahim, un Chanteur de rue

Christophe Gay

Jean Cévenol

Jacques Verzier

L'Hôtelier, le Maître d'hôtel

Rodolphe Briand

Le Garçon de restaurant, un Chanteur de rue, un Sous-officier, un Pêcheur

Pierre Lebon

Sinfonietta de Lausanne
Opéra de Lausanne Choir
Choir Conductor Anass Ismat