Splendeurs et misères ". Images de la prostitution, 1850-1910" au Musée d'Orsay à Paris avec l'Opéras filmés (following english translation)

By Neco Verbis —

Following English translation —

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First major event dedicated to the theme of prostitution, this exhibition tries to trace the way in which french and foreign artists fascinated by actors and thereby social places, have stopped looking new pictorial ways to represent reality and fantasies.

L’Olympia from Manet to Absinthe Degas, forays into the brothels of Toulouse-Lautrec and Munch in bold figures of Vlaminck, Picasso, Van Dongen or exposure sets out to show the central place occupied by this underworld in the development of modern painting. The phenomenon is also apprehended in its social and cultural dimensions through painting, sculpture, decorative arts and photography. A rich documentary material finally makes it to evoke the ambivalent status of prostitutes, the splendour of the demi-mondaines misery of “gritty”.

L’ Auditorium of the Musée d'Orsay turns into opera on occasion and transports you into the halls of Opera through the projection on the big screen of filmed entertainment.

Operas filmed

Charles Augustin LhermittePortrait in half-nude of a young enough woman for a large picture Hat © NMR-Grand Palais (Musée d'Orsay) / Hervé Lewandowski

A few figures of courtesans invest Opera in the 19th century: Violetta, the repentant and sacrificed woman, la Périchole, whose lightness almost always melancholy, Manon, venal but sincere by instinct, deliver us three variations around the question: are they victims or enfranchised women (sempre libera)? In counterpoint, Carmen, the free woman par excellence without concessions to the death.

27 September – 18 October 2015

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

Partner: Télérama, Cafés, Coffee prank, Concerts, The splendour and misery, Exhibition, The splendour and misery

Manon

Jules Massenetmusic

Meilhac and GilleLibretto
Anna Netrebko, Roberto Alagna, Adrian Erod, Ain Anger...
The Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Bertrand de Billydirection
Andrei Serbanstaging

Real. : Karina Fibich. Prod. : ORF / Unitel, 2007
Duration: 2 h 50 with intermission

tmp_70b54b456084b375027cf4f21f683d11 — © Unitel

First appointment Sunday, September 27 with “Manon” Jules Massenet, filmed at the Vienna Opera in 2007 in this role cut its excess, Anna Netrebko here embodies a Manon in turn child, loving, mischievous, passionate and pathetic, alongside the remarkable Des Grieux of Roberto Alagna. Transposing the action in Paris during the Belle Epoque, Andrei Serban emphasizes the isolation of this young woman lost by men, sex and money.

6a00d83451c83e69e200e54f1c509d8834-800wi — © Wiener Staatsoper

Sun. 27 September 2015 – 3:00 pm

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

La Traviata

In the presence of Robert Carsen

Giuseppe Verdimusic
Francesco Maria PiaveLibretto
Patricia Ciofi, Roberto Sacca, Dmitri Hyorostovsky...
Orchestra and chorus of la Fenice
Lorin Maazeldirection
Robert Carsenstaging

Real. : Patrizia Carmine. Prod: RAI, 2004
Duration: 2 h 26 with intermission

With this Traviata that inaugurated, on November 12, 2003, the new Fenice, Robert Carsen takes the party to transpose the opera in our time - choice justified by the fact that Verdi himself had wanted aTraviata contemporary. Banknotes lining the garden to the second act remains one of the most iconic images of this production.

tmp_9ffd7177afde147231f1e97ab34ec381 — © Michele Crosera

Sun. October 4, 2015 – 3:00 pm

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

Carmen

Georges Bizetmusic

Meilhac and HalévyLibretto
Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi, Michel SÉNÉCHAL...
Orchestra of the Opéra national de Paris
Pierre Dervauxdirection
Piero Faggionistaging

Real. : Pierre Badel. Prod. : Ina, 1980
Duration: 2 h 42 with intermission

In this legendary production of 1980 coming the Edinburgh festival but filmed at the Opéra-Comique, the staging of Piero Faggioni prevents any folklore necessary to focus on the drama. Between the virile Escamillo of Ruggero Raimondi and the idealistic Don José and skin-deep with Placido Domingo, Teresa Berganza delivers a stunning performance of commitment and intensity.

Sun. October 11, 2015 – 3:00 pm

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

La Périchole

Offenbachmusic

Meilhac and HalévyLibretto
ANE Berbie, Michel Caron, Jean Le Poulain, Roger Carel...
Lyric Orchestra of the ORTF
Jean Claude Casadesusdirection
Maurice Lehmannstaging

Real. : Jacques Duhen. Prod. : Ina (ORTF), 1971
Duration: 1 h 52 with intermission

Adaptation for the ORTF by Jean Le Poulain of a show mounted by Maurice Lehmann at the Théâtre de Paris in 1969, this Périchole reduces the dark sides of the artwork and takes some liberties with the libretto to highlight the comic virtuosity of performers, including Jane Berbié and Michel Caron impose a couple of singers from the streets to the remarkable vocal abilities.

Sun. October 18, 2015 – 3:00 pm

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

Curators of the exhibition

Marie Robert and Isolde Pludermacher, curators at the Musée d'Orsay
Richard Thomson, professor of art history at the University of Edinburgh,
Nienke Bakker, curator at the van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Scenography

Robert Carsen, scénographe et directeur artistique

Exposition réalisée avec le concours exceptionnel de la Bibliothèque nationale de France

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English translation —

“Splendour and Misery. Pictures of Prostitution, 1850-1910” at Musée d’Orsay in Paris with filmed Operas

The first major show on the subject of prostitution, this exhibition attempts to retrace the way French and foreign artists, fascinated by the people and places involved in prostitution, have constantly sought to find new pictorial resources for depicting the realities and fantasies it implied.

From Manet’s Olympia to Degas’s Absinthe, from Toulouse-Lautrec and Munch’s forays into brothels to the bold figures of Vlaminck, Van Dongen or Picasso, the exhibition focuses on showing the central place held by this shady world in the development of modern painting. The topic is also covered with regard to its social and cultural dimensions through Salon painting, sculpture, decorative arts décoratifs and photography. A wealth of documentary material recalls the ambivalent status of prostitutes, from the splendour of the demi-mondaineto the misery of the pierreuse (street walker).

The Orsay Museum’s Auditorium becomes an opera house and brings the largest opera halls to you thanks to the widescreen projection of filmed performances.

Filmed opera

Several leading courtesan figures took to the opera stage in the 19th century: Violetta, the reformed and sacrificed woman, La Périchole, whose frivolity borders on melancholy, and Manon, mercenary but sincere by nature, offer us three variations in answer to the question: are they victims or emancipated women (sempre libera)? Conversely, Carmen is the epitome of the free woman, uncompromising to the end.

27 September – 18 October 2015

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

Partners: Télérama, Cafés, Coffee prank, Concerts, Splendour and Misery, Exhibition, Splendour and Misery

Manon

Jules Massenet, music

Meilhac and Gille, libretto
Anna Netrebko, Roberto Alagna, Adrian Erod, Ain Anger...
Orchestra of the Vienna Opera
Bertrand de Billy, conductor
Andrei Serban, staging

Direc. : Karina Fibich. Prod.: ORF/Unitel, 2007
Duration: 2h 50min including the interval

Filmed at the Vienna Opera in this role that is a perfect match for her outrageousness, Anna Netrebko plays a Manon in turn childlike, tender, mutinous, passionate and pathetic, alongside the incredible Des Grieux played by Roberto Alagna. Transposing the action to Paris during the Belle Epoque, Andrei Serban emphasises the isolation of this young woman ruined by men, sex and money.

Sun 27 September 2015 – 3:00 pm

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

La Traviata

In the presence of Robert Carsen

Giuseppe Verdi, music
Francesco Maria Piave, libretto
Patricia Ciofi, Roberto Sacca, Dmitri Hyorostovsky...
Orchestra and choirs of the Teatro La Fenice
Lorin Maazel, conductor
Robert Carsen, staging

Direc. : Patrizia Carmine. Prod: RAI, 2004
Duration: 2h 26min including the interval

With this Traviata that inaugurated the new Teatro La Fenice on 12 November 2003, Robert Carsen has opted to transport the opera into our era – a decision justified by the fact that Verdi himself wanted a contemporaryTraviata. The bank notes lining the garden in the second act remain one of the most emblematic images of this production.

Sun 4 October 2015 – 3:00 pm

Musée d'Orsay

Auditorium level - 2

Carmen

Georges Bizet, music

Meilhac and Halévy, libretto
Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi, Michel SÉNÉCHAL...
Orchestra of the Opéra National de Paris
Pierre Dervaux, conductor
Piero Faggioni, staging

Direc. : Pierre Badel. Prod.: Ina, 1980
Duration: 2h 42min including the interval

In this legendary 1980 production taken from the Edinburgh festival but filmed at the Opéra-Comique, Piero Faggioni’s staging steers clear of all Spanish reference and concentrates on the tragedy itself. Between Escamillo’s virile Ruggero Raimondi and Placido Domingo’s idealistic and sensitive Don José, Teresa Berganza delivers a gripping performance full of commitment and intensity.

Sun 11 October 2015 – 3:00 pm

Musée d'Orsay
Auditorium level - 2

La Périchole

Offenbach, music

Meilhac and Halévy, libretto
ANE Berbie, Michel Caron, Jean Le Poulain, Roger Carel...
ORTF opera orchestra
Jean Claude Casadesus, conductor
Maurice Lehmann, staging

Direc. : Jacques Duhen. Prod.: Ina (ORTF), 1971
Duration:1h 52min including the interval

An adaptation for the ORTF by Jean Le Poulain of a performance produced by Maurice Lehmann at the Théâtre de Paris in 1969, this Périchole softens the darker aspects of the work and takes certain liberties with the libretto in order to highlight the comic virtuosity of the performers, among whom Jane Berbié and Michel Caron impose themselves as a couple of street singers with remarkable vocal capacities.

Curators

Marie Robert and Isolde Pludermacher, curators, Musée d’Orsay

Richard Thomson, Professor of Art History, Edinburgh University,
Nienke Bakker, curator, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam