Dinorah or The Pardon of Ploërmel

Giacomo Meyerbeers pastoral operabased on a Breton tale is the tale of DINORAH who has gone mad because her bridegroom Hoël has disappeared during their wedding This production performed as part of Théâtre Impérial de Compiegnes purpose of reviving obscure French opera is the only version of Dinorah available on DVD but it is a great production The painterly pastoral settings and décor and rustic costumes are very easy on the eye Opera traditionalists who dislike modern stagings will be delighted to know that this is a traditional production Pierre Jourdans stage direction is charming and always involving never once falling into static movements or gestures gratuitous distaste and irrelevance With Isabelle Philippe Armand Arapian and Frédéric Mazzotta Conducted by Olivier Opebeek