At the Palais Garnier, some very surprising Offenbach Brigands

Certainly, the topless caryatids who frame the scene have seen others. Nevertheless, their cheeks blushed with this new production of Brigands. And for good reason: director Barrie Kovsky increased the irreverence and therefore the very mixed effects on the audience at the Palais Garnier.

Accustomed to more conventional creations, spectators have perhaps forgotten the spirit which governed the operettas. They were in the 19th century, what La Fontaine’s fables were in the 17th century – a satire of the time. Kovsky is therefore doubly in tune with the times. Yesterday’s and today’s “fashion” one, like the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

He therefore allowed himself a total rewrite of both the dialogues and the form of Offenbach’s work, created in 1893. He overwhelmed the stage with a plethora of people. Dancers, singers, extras all dressed up to party in a cabaret. Marcel Beekman, the Dutch tenor in the role of Falsacapa, is dressed in an incredible red evening dress, and leads his team of bandits, perched on high heels.

Les Brigands: that’s Paris!

As you can see, Kovsky plays the frivolity card to the fullest. Often funny, sometimes a little too ostentatious. Unfortunately, this formula runs out quickly. After the intermission, the recipe stutters. Entertainment turns into farce and farce into boredom. The new dialogues, sometimes very talkative, inspired by our current affairs often lack finesse. Should we ignore this show anyway? That would be a shame: the whole thing is saved by a superb cast, incredible costumes and the fantasy of very beautiful scenes, like this arrival of a Spanish delegation… Laughter and grimaces, ups and downs; ultimately the show and a lot of buzz at social dinners.