Saint-Saens Henry VIII

Saint-Saën’s most successful opera, after Samson et Dalila, centers on the period of Henry’s life where his political ambitions and his defiance of Rome intertwine with his rejection of Catherine of Aragon and his marriage to Anne Boleyn. Saint-Saëns’ score makes a strong impression, especially in the jealous confrontations between the two queens. Noted director and producer Pierre Jourdan has been staging opera since 1968. In 1988, he founded the Théâtre Français de la Musique and the association Pour le Théâtre Impérial in the Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne. Every year, he directs and produces different lyric works with the mission to rediscover the French musical and lyrical repertoire from the post-baroque to today and to restore an authentic French style to the singers and the orchestras which accompany them. These productions have been triumphantly welcomed by the public and critics alike.