Shakespeare's works were a constant source of inspiration for the Romantics throughout the 19th century. In particular, The Tragic History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark , one of the English playwright's most famous plays, dominated by the existential questions of the title character - To be or not to be -, the ghost of his murdered father and his doomed love for Ophelia. Alexandre Dumas père was himself fascinated by this drama and produced a very successful adaptation in 1847. Based on this version, Michel Carré and Jules Barbier gave Ambroise Thomas the libretto for Hamlet, the last opera to be performed at Salle Le Peletier. Inspired by the musical and dramaturgical forms of French grand opera, the composer imbues the story with an intensity that adds to the beauty of the score. A milestone of opera for which Krzysztof Warlikowski, who always plumbs the depths of the human psyche, redraws Shakespeare's contours.
Opera in five acts
Live from the Opéra de la Bastille
Start 19:15 with one intermission
In French, with English subtitles
