DVD + Blu-Ray:
Ambroise Thomas: Hamlet / Opéra Comique

A multi-layered production of Thomas’ Hamlet staged by Cyril Teste at Opéra Comique in 2018, featuring performances by Stéphane Degout and Sabine Devieilhe.

Opera in five acts (1868)
Libretto by Michel Carré and Jules Barbier after William Shakespeare

With Shakespearian operas all the rage in Paris during the 19th century, Ambroise Thomas and his librettists Michel Carré and Jules Barbier adapted Hamlet to create a romantic spectacle in which the character of Ophélie shines with a haunting radiance. With its virtuosic arias, stunning ensembles and vivid orchestration – with the colourful addition of the newly invented saxophone – Thomas composed one of the most successful operas in the French repertoire. This is further enhanced by director Cyril Teste’s multi-layered production, reinstating its powerful original ending, and including cinematic techniques to create ‘a very palpable hit’. Conducted by Louis Langrée, one of the great advocates of Hamlet, the staging features ‘terrific in the title role’ Stéphane Degout and extraordinary performance by Sabine Devieilhe as Ophélie.

Hamlet: STÉPHANE DEGOUT Baritone
Ophélie: SABINE DEVIEILHE Soprano
Claudius: LAURENT ALVARO Bass-baritone
Gertrude: SYLVIE BRUNET-GRUPPOSO Mezzo-soprano
Laërte: JULIEN BEHR Tenor
Le Spectre: JÉRÔME VARNIER Bass

LES ÉLÉMENTS
ORCHESTRE DES CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES
Conductor LOUIS LANGRÉE
Stage Director CYRIL TESTE

Video Director FRANÇOIS ROUSSILLON
Filmed on 19-21 December 2018 at the Opéra Comique, Paris

Total playing time: 171 minutes
Language: French · Subtitles: French, English, German, Japanese, Korean, Chinese
DVD: NTSC 16:9 · AC3 2.0 and DTS 5.1 · DVD 9 · Region: 0
BD: HD 16:9 · PCM stereo and DTS-MA 5.1 · BD 50 · Region: A, B, C