From May 5 to 7, 2023, the 16th edition of “Tous à l’opéra!” is held, an open house operation to encourage the public to go to the opera. The opportunity to ask six questions to the godmother of the event, the famous mezzo-soprano Stéphanie d’Oustrac.
Enter the opera and discover behind the scenes. This is the promise of “All at the opera!”, a vast open house operation to attract more audiences to theaters. From May 5 to 7, 2023, multiple workshops, visits and other performances are organized in 29 opera houses in France. Stéphanie d’Oustrac, an internationally renowned French mezzo-soprano is the godmother of the event.
Franceinfo Culture: What is the operation “All at the Opera!” ?
Stephanie d’Oustrac: For three days, the opera houses open their doors free of charge. We can discover behind the scenes: the costumes, the technique, the scenography… There are also plenty of activities planned. For example, at the Opéra de Rennes, the city where I teach, I’m going to give a concert on Friday May 5 to launch the operation. With my students, we concocted a little medley. It will also be an opportunity to discuss with the public, to probe them on what they want, what their experience is… The objective is to make opera better known, but without desacralizing it! Entering these places steeped in history can sometimes be impressive. Precisely, this kind of open house operations can help to overcome his fear.
/2023/05/03/645287fc6336c_portrait-d-oustrac-c-jean-baptiste-millot.jpg)
Why did you accept to be godmother of the event?
Because I am above all an opera enthusiast! Every day, I wake up thinking to myself: how lucky am I! Since the beginning of my career, it has been a real fulfillment every day. If we are in this state of mind, we necessarily want to share it with others. So when I was asked to be sponsor of the operation, I immediately said yes. I wear this honor proudly. And it is also a recognition in relation to my career.
What advice would you give to those who want to discover opera?
To be curious! Contrary to what one might think, one does not necessarily need to be cultured to appreciate the Opera. There are still a lot of people who think it’s not for them, that they don’t know anything about it… Yes, so what? I don’t come from that background at all. As a child, I had never been to the opera. I joined the choirs of the Rennes Opera. What fascinated me was seeing these adults who were big kids and having fun. To discover this art, there are works that systematically speak to everyone. I think about Carmen For example.
You are known to have sung a lot of the French repertoire. What is the specificity of French texts?
I am one of the defenders of the French repertoire! I am thinking of Berlioz, Bizet or even Offenbach who are my favorite composers. There is of course the peculiarity of the language. As it is my mother tongue, I have easier access to all the subtleties of the text and the subtext, omnipresent in opera. Conversely, when we work on a foreign piece, we focus more on pronunciation, so we are less available for interpretation. As a viewer, it remains accessible because there are subtitles. But even when the opera is in French, it takes time for the ear to get used to this particular phrasing.
Contrary to what one might think, opera remains very current…
I think it will never get old. The texts may be old, but it remains topical because we talk about eternal themes: love, separation, power, tragedy… On stage, we also speak this universal language that is singing. Through the game, the way we color our voice or move our body, we go beyond the language of words. Whatever happens, opera is a reflection of our times. We never rest on our achievements: there are financial problems, societal problems… And opera is in the middle of all that, with permanent questions, musical biases and staging.
Does opera attract young people?
Opera is a job for young people! You have to be demanding and rigorous like top athletes. Even if we are old, we still keep our child’s soul on stage. We have to be curious and inventive, because there is no routine. The repertoire is always different, we are always confronted with something new, so that inevitably has an impact on our way of life. On the public side too, I find that there are a lot of young people. The opera houses are taking steps to attract them, particularly in terms of prices. Contrary to what one might think, the public is very mixed!