Offenbach - La Vie Parisienne / Ossonce, DeLavault, Opera National de Lyon
Offenbach's opera is a fast-moving pageant of characters and events capturing the spirit of Paris in the 1860s. Alail Françon's production spills onto the stage complete with a steam train, the carnival stories of servants disguised as their masters, trollops masquerading as society ladies, the decent bourgeoisie, and the salt-of-the-earth workers. Françon is aided by a splendid cast whose singing is matched by superior comic acting that captures the helter skelter vision of Offenbach as he spins a fevered and delightful illusion, giving the audience no breathing space, no time to reflect on its ephemeral and fragile nature. Underlying the frenetic, mad pursuit of fun and pleasure is the quality that is ingrained in all of Offenbach's works--the melancholy of the morning after the party when all that remains is the lees of the wine and the memory of passing joy. 161 minutes, color, 1991, English subtitles. Cast:Alain Hocine: FrickIvan Merat-Barboff: GontranPierre-François Pistorio: Le bresilienPierre Berriau: ProsperJean-Francois Sivadier: Raoul de GarfeuJacques Verzier: BobinetJean-Yves Chatelais: Baron de GondremarkIsabelle Mazin: GabrielleClaire Wauthion: Baronesa de GondremarkCaroline Chaniolleau: LeonieHélène Delavault: MetellaNathalie Joly: PaulineChorus and Orchestra of the Lyon National Opera conducted by Jean-Yves Ossonce