The theatre continues to acquaint the audience with operatic rarities, and for the first time in its modern history Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots will receive a full-scale production at the Mariinsky Theatre. The premiere is set to take place at the New Stage on 29 February, coinciding with the 188th anniversary of the opera’s world premiere in Paris. The production is helmed by the director Konstantin Balakin, with Elena Vershinina as the set and costume designer, and under the musical direction of Valery Gergiev.
Meyerbeer’s now seldom-performed masterpiece once enjoyed incredible popularity; its world premiere at the Opéra de Paris was followed by a wave of productions worldwide, with Les Huguenots sustaining over a thousand performances and remaining a fixture in opera houses until the early 20th century. This success cemented Meyerbeer’s status as one of the most influential European composers of his time.
Together with the librettist Eugène Scribe Meyerbeer crafted a quintessential example of grand French opera, adhering to all the genre’s conventions. This monumental five-act musical and theatrical work features an expansive historical-heroic backdrop, lavish choral and ballet scenes, and a tragic conclusion. The music is distinctly theatrical and expressive, filled with impactful moments and the brilliance of orchestral colour. The plot of Les Huguenots refers to one of the darkest chapters in French history – the second half of the 16th century – against the backdrop of the bloody Wars of Religion (St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre) and unfolds the tragic love story between the Protestant Raoul and the Catholic Valentine.
Les Huguenots first resonated in Russia in 1843, seven years after its Parisian debut. Initially performed by the German Opera Company, it was later, in 1850, taken up by the Italian Opera Company, which altered the setting to Italy and transformed the Huguenots and Catholics into Guelphs (supporters of the Papal interests) and Ghibellines (supporters of the Holy Roman Emperor). In February 1862 Meyerbeer’s opera was performed in Russian for the first time at the Mariinsky Theatre. The theatre revisited this work in 1871, 1899, 1928, 1935 and 1951.
Preparation for the new production spanned several years, gradually introducing contemporary audiences to the opera. Initially, artists presented a chamber version accompanied by piano, followed by performances of the first two acts with the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev. Last season, for the first time in nearly seventy years, Les Huguenots was performed in its entirety at the Concert Hall. Now audiences will have the opportunity to experience a full-scale production of this exemplar of grand French opera and Meyerbeer’s finest work.
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