Robert Carsen is leading rehearsals at Les Arts for his stunning production of ‘Dialogues des Carmélites’

Les Arts és Òpera

• Considered the definitive production of the work, it has triumphed in London, Milan, Vienna, Chicago, Amsterdam, Toronto and Madrid.
• Carsen, on stage, and Riccardo Minasi, on the podium, lead a team of more than 230 artists and musicians in one of Les Arts' biggest challenges.

Valencia (6.1.25). The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía is facing the final stretch of rehearsals for one of the great artistic bets of the 2024-2025 Season, the impressive production by Robert Carsen of 'Dialogues de Carmélites', the breathtaking opera by Francis Poulenc about the sixteen Carmelite nuns guillotined during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution.

The Canadian director, who has been in Valencia since last December, will present one of the most iconic works of his career, which has helped to cement his reputation as one of the greatest stage directors of the last 30 years.

Robert Carsen's version of 'Dialogues des Carmélites' has been considered the definitive production of Poulenc's work since its premiere in 1997. Carsen's masterful use of space and light, along with his exceptional direction of the performers, has captivated audiences in London, Milan, Vienna, Chicago, Amsterdam, Toronto, and Madrid, among other cities.

Following the excellent reception of 'Elektra' in 2020 and 'Orfeo ed Euridice' last season, Carsen's production poses one of the biggest artistic challenges in the recent history of Les Arts, with more than 230 musicians and artists in a single production: 25 solo performers, 59 singers from the Cor de la Generalitat, 75 extras and 77 musicians from the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana (OCV) in the pit.

'Dialogues of the Carmelites' also presents a technical challenge. Its staging requires a usable stage space of 700 square meters—a record in the recent history of Les Arts—to house Michael Levine's set design. This space is defined by three impressive 17-meter-high walls, weighing between 1 and 1.5 tons each, which are constantly moved throughout the performance to configure the drama's stage requirements.

Riccardo Minasi leads the musical department. After his acclaimed collaborations with the OCV, the founder of the prestigious orchestra Il Pomo d'Oro will conduct Poulenc's haunting score for the first time in his career. Considered unique in its genre for its singular musical language, it allows the audience to experience firsthand the emotion and suffering endured by the protagonists until their tragic end.

In the large vocal cast required for 'Dialogues of the Carmelites', veteran diva Doris Soffel, brilliant Klytämnestra in the 2020 'Elektra' and excellent Countess in 'The Queen of Spades' in 2023, returns to Les Arts to perform the brilliant role of Madame de Croissy.

Some of the most promising voices in the French repertoire make their debut at the Valencian opera house, including sopranos Ambur Braid (Madame Lidoine) and Alexandra Marcellier (Blanche de la Force), along with tenor Valentin Thill (Le Chevalier de la Force), accompanied by renowned performers such as bass Nicolas Cavallier (Le Marquis de la Force) and mezzo-soprano Michèle Losier (Mère Marie de l'Incarnation).

'Dialogues des Carmelites' ('Dialogues of Carmelites'), by Francis Poulenc, will be performed on January 23, 25, 28 and 31 and February 2, 2025 in the Main Hall of Les Arts