Bluebeard’s Castle

Dominique Pitoiset traces the existence of Bluebeard through Metamorphosen by Strauss and Bluebeard’s Castle by Bartók, in a diptyque supported by the energy and talents of the Orchestre Français des Jeunes, and its new conductor Kristiina Poska.

Judith, the fourth wife of Bluebeard, wants to bring some light into her husband’s dark castle. She opens a first door, which reveals Bluebeard’s torture chamber, filled with his intimate sufferings. Prompted by morbid curiosity, Judith opens a second door, which leads to a storehouse of weapons. Bluebeard begs her to stop: "Be careful, for both our sakes!" Judith ignores his pleas. Can true love tolerate secrets? Is there a door that should never be opened? Here, we are far from the myth of the killer of women, and closer to that of Psyche, whose curiosity destroys everything. Dominique Pitoiset uses Strauss’ Metamorphosen as prologue, to dive into Bluebeard’s childhood, and examine the origins of wounds buried in the past.

+ Stage side: on Sunday 12 January, after the performance, a conversation between the artistic team and Maryline Rebsamen‚ Didier Mathey, psychoanalysts‚ members of the École de la Cause freudienne and the World Association of Psychoanalysis

^{for the performance on Saturday 11th January} 

Preceded by Metamorphosen
by Richard Strauss

Libretto Béla Balázs

Musical director Kristiina Poska
Orchestre Français des Jeunes

Stage director and scenographer Dominique Pitoiset
Lighting Christophe Pitoiset
Costumes Nadia Fabrizio

Barbe-Bleue Önay Köse
Judith Aude Extrémo
Figuring Sandra Honoré, Adeline Moncaut, Morgane Leclerc, Philippe Nahmani Kerherve, Cléonce Dupin

New production of the Opéra de Dijon
Stage sets and costumes by the workshops of the Opéra de Dijon
With the patronage of the Crédit Agricole de Champagne-Bourgogne

^{Illustration © Gilles Aillaud}