Le Bourgeois gentilhomme | Opéra Comique

Last night I went to the delightful OPERA COMIQUE.

Have you been?

Recently renovated 

And a 5 minute walk from Opera Garnier. It is a stunning period building from 1886

Inside and out. 

Iwish I had taken more pictures 🤔

Instead I immediately started doodling ✏️  😊

Once the curtain rose…

It was nonstop doodling in the dark. Always an interesting surprise when the lights 💡  come on 😳

Did I say I was seeing, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, the story of a foolish man with delusions of grandeur (haven’t we all), written in 1640, but still quite valid today 👍

By Moliere with divine baroque music by Jean-Babtiste Lully.

The  Les Musiciens du Louvre was conducted by Théotime Langlois de Swarte. On occasion he would play the violin as well. We had good seats so I could see him. How I wished I’d seen ‘Tar’- now a must-see.

Back to our story. Monsieur Jourdain is studying the arts and good manners, (fencing, dancing, singing). 

Believing it is never too late to learn and hopefully climb up the social ladder. 

M.Jourdain gets a very silly philosophy leçon. The entire play is silly, a farce as most Moliere plays are, of the Comédie-ballet genre.

A Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense; satire, parody, and mockery of real-life situations, people, events, and interactions; unlikely and humorous instances of miscommunication; ludicrous, improbable, and exaggerated characters; and broadly stylized performances.

What a misfortune for M.Jourdain to be born bourgeois during the reign of Louis XIV!

You can see the updated set design above 👆 is based on the original. 

Back to our story. Of course M. Jourdain, who already has a sensible wife (to the right of the maid), longs to have a fling with a prestigious Marchioness and is foolishly sending her diamonds 💎 etc.

Of course M.Jourdain would like his sensible daughter to marry an aristocrat, though she is already in love with a merchant. This will no do! Here he is, all dolled up, the maid is laughing at his feathers and bows.

Of course M. Jourdain, for all his delusions of grandeur, is completely fooled. His daughter marries the man of her choice, whilst her father thinks he is upper-crust.

Did I say the brilliant, Jérôme Deschamps both stage directs this production and plays M. Jourdain! Jérôme Deschamps was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine. 

Two influential uncles: the first is an actor, Hubert Deschamps, the second renown filmmaker, Jacques Tati.

The 1st intermission was 2 hours in. Sadly 😭we left this delightful performance 🎭 and missed the last act. I encourage you to stay till the end of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, I regret leaving ☹️ the ticket prices are reasonable. The theater decor is brilliant. I hope to go back. It is on till 26 Mars. I will be going back for more (and make sure not to leave early)👍

    Don’t forget to stop in my shop for PARIS GIFTS 🎁 

                       ❤️💋❤️from Your friend in Paris❤️💋❤️