45 minutes before the bells call you into the house, it’s time to refresh your memory and go back to the beginnings of the opera: we offer a brief introduction to remind you what the work is all about and what kind of magical, apocalyptic, critical or hyper-realistic worlds the people behind the production have in store for you. Lickety-split, there’s just enough time to grab some bubbly before you take your seats under the star-studded ceiling of a thousand and one operas!
 
45 minutes before each performance
Free admittance with performance tickets
Foyer of the GTG

Songs of Earth and Sky
 
Come and discover with the artists of the Cappella Mediterranea a soaring selection of little jewels by contemporary Italian and French composer Lully. A program inspired by the nature that surrounds us, sometimes in a very vivid and realistic way. Come and hear the birds and the streams sing in baroque mode.
 
Thursday, February 3, 2022
From 6.30 pm
Entrance fee CHF 25 (first drink included)
In the foyer of the GTG
 
Gwendoline Blondeel, soprano
Rodrigo Calveyra, flûte à bec et conception
Catherine Plattner, violon
Teodoro Baù, viole de gambe
Marie Van Rhijn, clavecin
 
Programme
Jean-Joseph de Mondoville – « Venez, petits oiseaux »
Marc-Antoine Charpentier- « Feuillages, naissez »
Jean-Féry Rebel – Musette
Louis Antoine Lefebvre – « Vous, qui voyez ce feuillage »
Jacques Champion de Chambonnières (arr. J. d’Anglebert) – Sarabande « Jeunes Zéphirs »
Marc-Antoine Charpentier – « Ruisseau qui nourrit dans ce bois »
François Couperin – « Rossignol en amour »
Antonio Vivaldi (en l’honneur de Louis XV) – « Se qui pace tall’or »
 
 
Health and Safety Regulations
Following the regulations of the authorities, from Monday, December 20, 2021, according to the “2G” rule, only people with a COVID Certificate related to a vaccination or a recovery will have access to the venue. The certificate will be requested with your ID card on entering the building and masks are mandatory.

Pre-screening of the video documentary “Serendipity” by Prune Nourry followed by a discussion with the artist
 
“At the museum, some people stop on one work, others on another. There is a mixture of chance and intuition in the work that catches your eye: that’s serendipity.” Prune Nourry is a visual artist exhibited worldwide. For the past 15 years, she has brilliantly explored the fields of bioethics, the female body and fertility, mixing sculpture, video and photography. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, her world was turned upside down: Prune Nourry decided to turn her camera on herself, and to turn this illness into an artistic epic.
 
As part of its Duel #2, the Grand Théâtre is pleased to present a preview of Prune Nourry’s documentary, “Serendipity”. The film will be followed by a conversation led by Tatyana Franck about the intimacy of one of the most prolific artists of her generation, and the role of cinema in this exploration.
 
Moderation: Tatyana Franck, François Ansermet
 
In collaboration with the FIFDH
 
Thursday, February 17, 2022
at 8PM
Entry CHF 15.00
Foyer of the GTG
 
 

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Hayao Miyazaki – Japan – 1984 – vost – 116′)
Presented by Prune Nourry, scenographer of Atys
 
In the future, the Earth has been devastated by war and pollution. Nausicaä, the princess of the valley of the wind, explores the sea of decomposition, a toxic expanse where only insects live. Then, on her glider, she reaches her village. Shortly after, a ship crashes not far from there. Its occupants wish to awaken one of the terrible fire giants that had once destroyed the planet. Nausicaä and her father rebel, but the unfortunate one is killed, and the young girl is imprisoned. Shortly afterwards, taken hostage, she narrowly escapes death during an air attack. Free again, she will try to save her people from slavery…
 
Sunday, February 20 2022, at 5PM
Talk before the screening of the movie
At the Cinémas du Grütli
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Atys et Lully : les favoris du Roi, conférence présentée par Gregory Rauber
 
Au cœur du mythe d’Atys, comme dans l’histoire des premiers chefs-d’œuvre lyriques français, vers 1670, le constat est le même : toute faveur accordée entraîne son lot de jalousies.
Le berger Atys est le « favori » du roi Célénus. Or, la reine des Dieux, Cybèle, le préfère au roi. Mais l’amour secret qui unit Atys à la nymphe Sangaride attisera la jalousie de Cybèle et Célénus.
Choisi par Lully et Louis XIV, le librettiste Philippe Quinault est raillé autant qu’envié par Boileau, La Fontaine ou Racine. De même, Lully, malgré ses frasques, est adoubé par le Roi Soleil et règne sans partage sur la musique des théâtres…
Dans la tragédie lyrique, drames antiques et intrigues de la cour de France s’entremêlent, fusionnent ; les situations sont les mêmes et les transpositions souvent superflues.
Alors, pourquoi Louis XIV ne se reconnaîtrait-il pas dans cet Atys au destin funeste ? L’« opéra du roi » serait-il alors autant une histoire de favoris que de favorites ?
 
Tuesday, February 2 2022
6:30PM
At the Théâtre de l’Espérance
> access
 
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About Atys
Dance and Baroque Music Workshop
 
Accompanied on the harpsichord by Marie Van Rhijn of the Cappella Mediterranea, and guided by Fernanda Barbosa, dancer and ballet master, come and discover the score that Lully composed for Atys, the Sun King’s favorite opera, and try your hand at the choreography that Angelin Preljocaj imagined for the show. No need to be an expert, the workshop is accessible to all! From 10 years old – children must be accompanied by a participating adult.
 
Saturday, February 26, 2022
From 12:30PM to 2PM
Entry CHF 15.00 (CHF 10.00 for children under 12)
Salle de répétition du Ballet
(studio Balanchine)
 
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Haven’t you ever wondered what it’s like on the other side, when the curtain falls on a performance? How does all the technical machinery work? What do the stagehands have to do to get things back into working order? Or maybe just bump into one of the stars of the show?
 
So let us raise the curtain on all this for you. With every production, we give our patrons an opportunity to come backstage with us, raise their eyes to the flies and take a good look at what’s behind the sets. It may be dark in the wings but there’s a whole lot going on there! And because it’s a really busy place, we can’t really do this more than once per performance run. You will need to book your visit beforehand, so don’t delay!
 
A member of the theatre staff who can answer all your questions and show you some of the very impressive features of our opera house takes you backstage for free.
 
After the March 6 performance, a member of the theatre staff who can answer all your questions and show you some of the very impressive features of our opera house takes you backstage for free.
 
The “En coulisse” tour lasts about 20 minutes, starts 15 minutes after the performance, is free of charge on prior reservation with our box office service by email [email protected].