CASSANDRA Foccroulle — La Monnaie / De Munt

Sandra divides her time between her research into the melting ice caps and stand-up comedy. Disturbed by the impact of human activity on the environment, she wants to use humour to raise awareness. But people around her, even her own family, are sceptical. Just as Cassandra predicted the fall of Troy without being heeded, Sandra predicts the imminent approach of a terrible tragedy but no one is listening. After La Monnaie’s Henry VIII, a hitherto little-known operatic treasure by Camille Saint-Saëns, it is a world premiere of their new opera that we are lucky enough to discover live on OperaVision. Belgian composer Bernard Foccroulle, former director of La Monnaie and the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, has chosen a highly topical theme for his first opera: ecological activism in the face of societal inertia. Cassandra’s predictions may not have been heeded, but her story has been avidly read for over two thousand years. The Trojan prophetess has found her way into the collective consciousness through some of the greatest writers in literary history: Seneca, Homer, Aeschylus, William Shakespeare, Friedrich Schiller and Christa Wolf. Each shedding different light on her gift and its curse at the heart of Cassandra’s story, these varied sources have today inspired Matthew Jocelyn’s libretto. Thanks to the powerfully evocative music conducted by Kazushi Ono, and sets that transport us in turn to an immense library, a beehive and the heart of a glacier, Cassandra promises to be a powerful and poetic new opera. Full performance streamed LIVE on OperaVision on 14 September 2023 at 20:00 CET and available until 14 March 2024 at 12:00 CET: CAST Cassandra Katarina Bradić Sandra Jessica Niles Hecuba / Victoria Susan Bickley Naomi Sarah Defrise Blake Paul Appleby Apollo / Angry Audience Member Joshua Hopkins Priam / Alexander Gidon Saks Stage Manager / Marjorie Sandrine Mairesse Conference Presenter Lisa Willems Orchestra La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra Chorus La Monnaie Chorus Music Bernard Foccroulle Text Matthew Jocelyn Conductor Kazushi Ono Director Marie-Ève Signeyrole Sets Fabien Teigné Costumes Yashi Lighting Philippe Berthomé Dramaturgy Louis Geisler Video Marie-Ève Signeyrole Artis Dzērve Chorus Master Emmanuel Trenque Film director Myriam Hoyer OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme. Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision. WEBSITE: FACEBOOK: TWITTER: INSTAGRAM: TIKTOK: @operavision