Les Arts Florissants, which is supported by the local government of Caen and the region of Basse-Normandie, is presenting the modern staged premiere of the opera in three performances Oct. 16-20. The production by director Benjamin Lazar features costumes taken from 17th-century designs, scenery based on engravings of the era, Baroque gesture and even period lighting. (Yes, that means candles.)
France 3 Normandy's webcast begins at 19h45 Central European Time (1:45 pm US Eastern Time / 1745h GMT/UTC) with an introductory program (in French only). The performance itself begins at 20h00 Central European Time (2:00 pm US Eastern time / 1800h GMT/UTC). The intermission feature is expected to run about 20 minutes.
The transmission can be accessed at the page http://normandie.france3.fr/emissions/34686015-fr.php (alternatively, click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/2k7qj7); there should also be a link from the television station's homepage, http://normandie.france3.fr.
For those unable to watch or listen in real time, the transmission will remain available in streaming audio-video on demand at the same page for 24 hours only, from midnight to midnight French time (6 pm US Eastern time Thursday, Oct. 18 to Friday, Oct. 19 / 2200h to 2200h GMT/UTC).
Following Sant' Alessio's premiere run in Caen, Christie and Les Arts Florissants present the work in semi-staged form at London's Barbican Centre (Oct. 24) and then at Lincoln Center. The fully-staged production subsequently appears at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris (Nov. 21-24), the Opéra National de Lorraine in Nancy (Jan 24-30) and the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg (Feb. 14-16).
