© Marina Viotti / Niamh O'Sullivan
Next month, Marina Viotti was due to make her debut as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. She will be replaced by Irish mezzo Niamh O'Sullivan.
The 2024/25 season at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, France, was to be an opportunity for Marina Viotti to take on two new roles: her first Charlotte in Werther, a role in which the mezzo has just delighted audiences and critics alongside Benjamin Bernheim, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, which she was due to sing for the first time next May at the Avenue Montaigne.
In a press release, however, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has announced a change of cast: Marina Viotti has decided not to sing the role of Octavian 'for personal reasons'.
In interviews, Marina Viotti made no secret of her enthusiasm for the role of Charlotte, which she had long wanted to add to her repertoire. On the other hand, given Strauss's "dizzying score", the mezzo-soprano said she did not consider Octavian as "an obvious choice". It was at the request of Michel Franck, for the last production of his final season after 15 years at the helm of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, and on the advice of her brother, the conductor Lorenzo Viotti, that Marina Viotti finally considered singing the role. Apparently, this second role debut after the unanimous success of Werther, has come a little early.
Niamh O'Sullivan takes on the role of Octavian
Finally, it is the young Irish mezzo Niamh O'Sullivan who will replace her as Octavian. This will also be a role debut for her, but audiences at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées saw her last month in the role of Ino alongside Pretty Yende in Semele. Writing on Instagram, the young singer said she was "SO beyond excited to be here in Paris for the next 2 months debuting the role of OCTAVIAN in Theatre des Champs Elysées new production of Der Rosenkavalier!". She continues: "Der Rosenkavalier is my all time favourite opera and I feel such a strong connection with this role. This opera moves me beyond words. I can’t even really explain how I’m feeling right now but I am so looking forward to this journey and challenge".
For the record, this new production of Der Rosenkavalier, from 21 May to 5 June, is eagerly awaited. On the stage, Krzysztof Warlikowski will be staging his first production of the Strauss's opera, and French soprano Véronique Gens will be singing the Marechal for the first time alongside Regula Mühlemann as Sophie, who added the role to her repertoire last January at Berlin's Staatsoper Unter den Linden. In the pit, Hungarian conductor Henrik Nánási will lead the Orchestre National de France.
free translation of our article first published in French
published on 7 April at 7.02pm
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