Pulcinella and L’Heure Espagnole

Ballet by Igor Stravinsky and opera by Maurice Ravel

PULCINELLA & L’HEURE ESPAGNOLE

Ballet by Igor Stravinsky and opera by Maurice Ravel
Premiere on March 9, 2024 in Opéra Comique
Premiere in the Estonian National Opera on February 7, 2025

Music Director and Conductor: Arvo Volmer
Conductors: Kaspar Mänd
Stage Director: Guillaume Gallienne
Dramaturge and Assistant to the Stage Director: Marie Lambert-Le Bihan
Choreographer: Clairemarie Osta
Set Designer: Sylvie Olivé
Costumes Designer: Olivier Bériot
Lighting Designer: John Torres
Production Assistant: Pirjo Levandi
Chief Pianist-Repetiteur: Jaanika Rand-Sirp
Pianist-Repetiteur: Ave Wagner, Tarmo Eespere
Concertmaster: Riina Pikani
Stage Managers: Riina Airenne, Rein Lepnurm

Within one night, the audience can experience two masterpieces of the 20th century: Stravinsky’s ballet with songs “Pulcinella” and Ravel’s short opera “L’Heure Espagnole”.

“Pulcinella”

One-act ballet with songs 
Music By Igor Stravinsky after Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
World premiere on May 15, 1920 in Opéra de Paris

“Pulcinella” tells a story about a vivid commedia dell’arte character, rogue Pulcinella whose cheeky charm helps him to woo other men’s lovers and saves him from intricate plans of revenge … 

When the director of Ballets Russes, Sergei Diaghilev proposed that Igor Stravinsky write a ballet with songs based on Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s (1710–1736) music and a commedia dell’arte libretto, Stravinsky thought that Diaghilev must be out of his mind. After having acquainted himself with the musical material that included also music of some less know Italian composers, he was hooked, “I took a look at the music and fell in love!”. The commission resulted in an artistic pearl that combines song and dance, Stravinsky’s musical humour and Pablo Picasso’s designs.
Copyright © Boosey & Hawkes

“L’Heure Espagnole”

Musical comedy by Maurice Ravel after the eponymous play by Franc-Nohain
World premiere on May 19, 1911 in Opéra-Comique

A story about a woman yearning for a love affair, an unsuspecting husband, three concealed lovers and a room full of clocks ...

The opera is based on Franc-Nohain’s eponymous play that premiered in 1904 that in its clear and realistic expression opposed Symbolism that had emerged in the 19th century France and was popularised by Mallarmé, Verlaine and Maeterlinck. The colourful characters and events of the play offered Ravel a chance to experiment with musical means and sonorities. We can hear clocks chiming in various rhythms and characteristic Spanish dances, such as habanera and jota. The critique of Ravel’s first opera can be summed up with an opinion published after the premiere: “This is a musical comedy that is full of brilliant clockwork and seductive joie de vivre – Ravel’s first opera is a masterpiece, bristling with dazzling music!”

Production: Opéra Comique
Co-production: Estonian National Opera

Recommended age 12+

NB: On Friday, February 7, 2025, before the premiere of ballet by Igor Stravinsky and opera by Maurice Ravel "Pulcinella and L’Heure Espagnole", we invite theatergoers to a dinner where the creative team of the new production will accompany the guests. Join us for 'Stage Fever Before the Premiere'!