Now we arrive at the biggest treasure trove in our series of operas by language… Indeed, the opera repertoire in France grew to its substantial size thanks to a confluence of historical factors: in the 17th and 18th centuries, royal patronage guaranteed composers the financial means to give free rein to their creative spirit; in the 19th, Parisian theatres proved the ideal testing place for larger-than-life sets and productions, inspiring artists French and foreign alike who congregated in the capital during the era of the French grand opéra; though production dropped off slightly in the 20th century, major figures like Ravel, Poulenc, and Messaien contributed to the genre with superb results; and in the 21st century, French opera is alive and well! Among others, the Paris Opera commissioned a cycle of operas inspired by French literature in the 2010s, and Philippe Leroux adapted Claudel's L'Annonce faite à Marie in 2022. Dive into this collection of French-language operas that will take you on a tour of opera history, from the Baroque era of Lully up to the present day.
