Raphaël Pichon Brings Mozart to Life at Carnot High School in Paris

Opéra-Comique Relocation to the Lycée Carnot

The Opéra-Comique has closed for renovations, forcing the institution to pursue its activities in unusual venues. For this opening production, the company selected the hall of the Lycée Carnot. The site features a metallic glass roof designed by Gustave Eiffel and is rarely opened to the general public.

Directing Mozart’s Unfinished Masterpiece

Raphaël Pichon will lead performances of Zaïde ou le chemin de lumière from September 9 to September 12. The production was created last year in Salzburg. Director Wajdi Mouawad collaborated with Pichon on the staging, which builds an original presentation around Mozart’s unfinished score, described as a humanist fairy tale inspired by the Enlightenment.

Pichon initially found approaching an unfinished score intimidating. Markus Hinterhäuser gave Pichon carte blanche in Salzburg with the instruction to explore rare Mozart — choosing nothing beyond 1781 or 1782. While many music lovers know only the excerpts “Ruhe sanft” or “Tiger! Wetze nur die Klauen,” Pichon stated that discovering the rest of the partition was an immense shock that revealed some of the greatest melodramas ever written.

Tracing Mozart’s Philosophical Roots

Zaïde serves as a precursor to The Abduction from the Seraglio due to its Turkish setting, subject matter, and vocal character treatments. However, Pichon stated that the score represents a major turning point for Mozart’s philosophical and humanist preoccupations. While earlier stage music like 1773’s Thamos, King of Egypt laid groundwork, Zaïde gives direct voice to characters through a female lead, anticipating later works like The Magic Flute and La clemenza di Tito.

Pichon highlighted that the ultimate musical high point of the work is not the famous aria “Ruhe sanft,” but rather the final aria “Trostlos schluchzet Philomele,” which is rarely performed. In the production’s version, the characters Gomatz and Zaïde share the beginning of this march to the scaffold before facing Soliman. The aria evokes the myth of Philomela, whose tongue was cut out by her brother-in-law to prevent her from speaking about her rape, leading her to weave her story into a tapestry before the gods transformed her into a nightingale singing of truth and freedom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Opéra-Comique performing while its building is closed?

The institution is staging productions in unusual Paris locations during its renovations, beginning with the hall of the Lycée Carnot.

When do performances of Zaïde run in Paris?

Raphaël Pichon conducts Zaïde ou le chemin de lumière from September 9 to September 12.

Who collaborated on this staging of Zaïde?

The production was created with director Wajdi Mouawad and features musical direction by Raphaël Pichon leading the Pygmalion ensemble.

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