The French Romantic, who hailed from a family of Spanish origin, is best known outside his homeland for his Symphonie espagnole. For French audiences, however, Le roi d’Ys is typically considered his greatest work. The three-act opera, which he completed in 1875, is adapted from a Breton legend. The mythical tale, which features a blend of the motifs of love and war, intrigue and self-sacrifice, is reminiscent of Wagner. The music’s harmonies and melodies and the heat of passion are also not entirely free of the influence of Lalo’s great German contemporary, while the stylistic hallmarks also bear traces of inspiration from Gounod, and other analysts see it as a predecessor of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande. The production, realised in collaboration with Palazzetto Bru Zane, features a parade of soloists including Judith van Wanroij, Jennifer Holloway, Cyrille Dubois, Jérôme Boutillier, Nicolas Courjal and Christian Helmer – primarily French artists, though there are also Dutch and American singers, too. One of György Vashegyi’s goals is to lead the Hungarian National Philharmonic in introducing Hungarian audiences to previously lesser known French Romantic operas, and this performance is a fine example of that ambition.

The Hungarian premiere is a co-production by Palazetto Bru Zane and the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra.

Presented by: Hungarian National Philharmonic