Julie | Philippe Boesmans

"The temperament of each character," says Philippe Boesmans, "is expressed above all by his vocal line The Belgian composer adds that he became fully aware of this when he was asked to orchestrate The Coronation of Poppea for the Opéra de la Monnaie: Monteverdi's example convinced him that the lyric art requires that each figure carry a unique voice. This voice can evolve according to the dramatic movement. Julie, seductive and domineering, begins her role with a rather ornate style, but as she moves into a more sincere register, her singing becomes more stripped down. The baritone of Jean, his servant, conveys in turn his youth, his spinelessness, but also the frustration induced by his social inferiority, while the soprano of Kristin, his wife, makes the young "morning sun" shine.. With the help of Luc Bondy and Marie-Louise Bischofberger, who brought their profound theatrical experience to the libretto, Boesmans has turned Strindberg's play into a contemporary classic in one act, a psychological battle that recaptures the pleasure of expressive music, at the service of the narrative and of emotions rooted in the experience of "human feelings".