L'Uomo Femina

Two shipwrecked men land on an island ruled by women, where the males are docile, coquet and even a bit timid. Agnès Jaoui joyfully adapts this surprisingly modern fable from the 18th century, which gives plenty of food for thought about the way society assigns roles to each gender.

The princess Cretidea has sole rule over her subjects. She leads the armies, collects lovers, and reassures her favourite, who fears that one day she’ll tire of him if his haircut fails to please her. But the princess falls madly in love with Roberto, one of the two castaways, who refuses to submit to the laws of the island. Thus opens a spirited debate, carried by the flamboyant music of Galuppi: who must submit? Who must govern? Which is the weaker sex? After hoisting high the colours for Lully’s powerful Armide, Vincent Dumestre and Le Poème Harmonique return to the Opéra de Dijon with this satirical gem in the company of a top-tier cast.

+ Before the show:  Saturday 9 November at 6:30 pm with Jean-François Lattarico, university lecturer specialized in Italian studies (length 1h)

for the performance on Thursday 7th November

Libretto Pietro Chiari

Music direction Vincent Dumestre
Le Poème Harmonique

Stage direction Agnès Jaoui
Stage sets Alban Ho Van
Lighting Dominique Bruguiere
Costumes Pierre-Jean Larroque
Hair & Make-up Julie Poulain 

Cretidea Eva Zaïcik
Ramira Lucile Richardot
Cassandra Victoire Bunel
Roberto Victor Sicard
Giannino François Rougier
Gelsomino Anas Séguin
Figuring David Badau, Grégoire Blanchon, Mylène Duhoux, Adrien Lamberti, Aude Ulrich, Bettina von Schramm

New production of the Opéra de Dijon
Coproduction Le Poème Harmonique, Château de Versailles Spectacles, Théâtre de Caen
Stage sets and costumes produced by the workshops of the Opéra de Dijon

^{Photos © Mirco Magliocca · Opéra de Dijon
Illustration © Gilles Aillaud}