Henry VIII

After the success of Bastarda, La Monnaie continues its cycle devoted to the Tudor dynasty with the opera Henry VIII by Camille Saint-Saëns. The sentimental and political intrigues driven by the King of England were the ideal material for a grand opéra by the celebrated French composer, who offers us a score rich in contrasts.  

Our music director Alain Altinoglu and director Olivier Py breathe new life into the virtuosic duets, trios, quartets and choral scenes of this unjustly neglected opera. They offer a musical and scenic journey from the sixteenth century to the present day which asks the perennial question: how far can a man of power go to satisfy his ambitions?

About this production

• Olivier Py - On staging "Henry VIII"
• Ballet at the opera
• The story of Henry VIII
• #Mirrorselfie: Sylvia Huang
• Olivier Py at la Monnaie: a video portrait

Cast

Conductor ALAIN ALTINOGLU
Director OLIVIER PY

Set design & Costumes PIERRE-ANDRÉ WEITZ
Lighting BERTRAND KILLY
Chorus master STEFANO VISCONTI

Henry VIII LIONEL LHOTE
Don Gomez de Féria ED LYON
Le Cardinal Campeggio VINCENT LE TEXIER
Le Comte de Surrey ENGUERRAND DE HYS
Le Duc de Norfolk WERNER VAN MECHELEN
Cranmer JÉRÔME VARNIER
Catherine d’Aragon MARIE-ADELINE HENRY
Anne de Boleyn NORA GUBISCH
Lady Clarence CLAIRE ANTOINE
Garter / Un officier ALEXANDER MAREV *
Un huissier de la cour LEANDER CARLIER *
Quatre dames d’honneur ALESSIA THAIS BERARDI, ANNELIES KERSTENS, LIEVE JACOBS, MANON POSKIN
Quatre seigneurs ALAIN-PIERRE WINGELINCKX, LUIS AGUILAR, BYOUNGJIN LEE, RENÉ LARYEA

* MM Soloist

La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra and Choir
La Monnaie Choral Academy, led by Benoît Giaux

Production LA MONNAIE

In co-production with Shelter Prod and Prospero MM Productions, with the support of Taxshelter.be and ING
With the support of the Belgian Federal Government's Tax Shelter