Today : world première of Philippe Boesmans' 'Pinocchio' in Aix-en-Provence

Today, the Festival International d'Art Lyrique in Aix-en-Provence presents the world première of the opera Pinocchio, composed by Philippe Boesmans, with a libretto by Joël Pommerat after Carlo Collodi.

It is the seventh opera composed by Boesmans, after La Passion de Gilles (1983), Reigen (1993), Wintermärchen (1999), Julie (2005), Yvonne Princesse de Bourgogne (2009) and Au Monde (2014).

Pinocchio is a rude and insolent person, eschewing all sentimentality to reconnect with the harsh world that Collodi portrays in his book. (reproduced from the Aix-en-Provence festival website)

The cast includes baritone Stéphane Degout (Le directeur de troupe / Le directeur de cirque), bass baritone Vincent Le Texier (La père / Le maître d'école), tenor Yann Beuron (Le directeur de cabaret / Le juge), mezzo Julie Boulianne (La chanteuse de cabaret) and soprano Marie-Eve Munger (La fée). Emilio Pomarico conducts the Klangforum Wien. Joël Pommerat directs.

The score is published by Éditions Jobert. The required orchestra is the following :

- 1 flute (doubling piccolo and alto flute), 1 oboe (doubling English horn), 1 clarinet (doubling bass clarinet) and 1 bassoon (doubling contrabassoon) ;
- 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone ;
- harp and piano (doubling celesta) ;
- 3 percussionists ;
- strings.

The performance should last about 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one interval.

There will be further performance in Brussels (September 2017), Dijon (October 2017) and Bordeaux (May 2018). Other operas inspired by Collodi's story include works by Jonathan Dove, Pierangelo Valtinoni and Sergio Menozzi.