Opera magazine

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A risky bet, and rewarded by the audacity of the quasi-beginner. Not so much because of the psychoanalytic angle, developed in a note of intention giving rise to fear of an arid application of the second Freudian topic to the triad formed by the protagonist - the Superego -, his wife - the I -, and the witches - the Id - but thanks to the playful spirit that interferes in a work that is nevertheless among the darkest in the repertoire. Seen through the projections of Jean Lecointre's digital collages, Macbeth thus turns into a surrealist nightmare. From the kitchens to the bride and groom's bedroom via the entrance hall, the fauna that populates the “Art Deco” hotel where the action is transposed, evokes in turn, or simultaneously, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Sisters from La Perpétuelle Indulgence, the creatures of Jean-Paul Goude, to a Hecate, half Cruella, half magazine leader, whose appearance invigorates a choreographed ballet alla Laura Scozzi.

It's annoying at times, but more often than not clever, and even downright funny. The relevance of the approach is revealed when, from this overflow of ideas and references, arranged not without art in a disorder as dense as it is messy, emerges, by a stark contrast, an approach of the Macbeth couple based on the refusal of physical contact, and the frustration generated by this impeded desire, but above all the absence of descent, and therefore of legitimation.

Mehdi Mahdavi

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Wielkopolska

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Macbeth's latest creation arouses a lot of enthusiasm for its originality and magnificence. She also awakens sleeping monsters. In addition, the scenography constantly inspires enthusiasm, and the costumes and lights also constantly do the same. It is truly a rare and difficult performance to succeed in harmonizing these elements perfectly in an opera, with such fervor and such grace.

What more could you want? No doubt only to see this show once again.

Cezary Ostrowski

Opera Online

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The staging of Olivier Fredj, for this new production of the Monnaie de Bruxelles, intelligently responds to a double aspect: we are indeed witnessing a social theatricality, projected into a contemporary universe, that of a hotel where everything goes and is happening, but we also witness a quivering reflection on the couple Macbeth / Lady Macbeth, on desire and power - this power which, in this couple  unbalanced, questions about another dichotomy, that of power and impotence: nothing seems to link Macbeth to his wife, in any case not sensuality, and everything therefore crystallizes on this sexual substitute that power represents.

Olivier Fredj's direction as an actor is indeed that of a man of the theater, precise, dynamic, made up of a whole body of movement that  builds a personality.

The overall theatrical gesture and the beautiful direction of the actors give this show real power.

Alain Duault

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Wielkopolska

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What impresses the most in this production is the creativity: magnificent sets, the choreography of Dominique Boivin who brings dynamism to the whole staging, not to mention the masterful lighting design of Christophe Forey. Macbeth lives in the world of madness, torn apart by the most terrifying visions of degradation and retribution for murder. The demons, embodied by the dancers, do not give the hero a moment's respite. The dementia and degradation, in the show, go hand in hand with a vulgar and rampant sex orgy, inspired by Kubrick's films. It is a very coherent and suggestive vision which is defended by ingenuity and

details reworked to pain. I think that the show directed by Olivier Fredj has a chance of becoming one of the major productions of Teatr Wielki.

Adam Olaf Gibowski

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Podsłuchaj.wordpress.com

Another world - our world

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The great value of Olivier Fredj's directing is undoubtedly to present Macbeth by mixing treasures of cinematographic references and pop culture hits.

It is a story that can be lived by any of us, sparked by a deceptive smile of Fortune; the real tragic irony existing in all societies. Fredj proves it perfectly to us, first by subjecting the audience to the Rorschach test by projecting fanciful graphics by Jean Lecointre, and then by shaking the walls of the theater and invading the hall with the choir. Not only Macbeth, says the director, but we are all afflicted with this disease.

The costumes full of fantasy, in black and white colors, the eccentric hairstyles mix the codes of ... We must remember here the eloquent solo dance of Hecate, which undoubtedly conquered the hearts of the public.

Olivier Fredj's Macbeth carries with it something from the music hall or the video clip: it has successfully revealed a great wealth of cultural references in opera, thanks to which the fate of Macbeth has become close to us. Finally, this other world, which seems very

distant, is simply our world.

Dobrochna Zalas

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Opernnetz

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Fredj offers a thrilling finale. The original opera ends with Macbeth's death but here the final chorus added by Verdi in Paris is removed. Here, he does not die, but leaves the stage in front of the spectating choir who then pushes Malcolm, the king's son, into the round.

The game begins again.

Karin Coper

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Opera Forum

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Olivier Fredj, who is approaching opera for the first time here, has retained the great importance of dreams and the imaginary world in the unfolding of the libretto, and seems to have focused his show on a psychoanalytic reading, which certainly allows for a very elaborate and in-depth study. very interesting. (…) The omnipresent tension between the real world and the imaginary world, the incursions into the irrational and the supernatural which punctuate the story are all tragicomic elements which he will also be able to use.

From the opening, video projections lead the viewer towards the world of psychoanalysis: drawings are shown evoking the Rorschach tests, dreamlike figures, representations of the human brain are brought in, the axis is clearly defined. (…)

The change in the spectacle occurs as the choirs leave the backstage to invade the hall: the Scottish outlaws from Birnam Forest are among the spectators, creating a feeling of closeness and close adherence among the audience. unexpected fact. Macduff begins his great air carried by this beautiful dramatic intensity which will last until the end of the show.

Claude jottrand

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Theater Street

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The idea is simple but brilliant: the physical decor is unique (white walls, enhanced with elegant moldings), but lighting and subtle graphic projections - a “digital collage”, in the words of Jean Lecointre - come to dress these. walls and transform them into so many different interiors: Macbeth's apartments, the hallway of a luxury hotel, a banquet hall, kitchens ...

(…)

This production also strikes very well at the moment of the superb choir “Patria oppressa”. The director Olivier Fredj took the somewhat crazy bet, in consultation with the choirmaster Martino Faggiani, to bring his choristers in the audience, between the rows of spectator seats.

The monopoly of the choir. It is a rare moment for the public, a superb moment: the thrill of pleasure that runs through it is palpable - the pleasure of being enveloped in sound, the pleasure of feeling the energy of the bodies, the strength of their presence.

Debut at La Monnaie in a very successful production.

Thibaut radomme

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RTBF

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What the project managers succeed is precisely in translating the absurd ambition of the homicidal spouses, who bulldozed with a bulldozer everything that hinders their joyous march towards power. Irony is everywhere. In these scenes from a screwball comedy where grooms, maids and bell captains flit through the hotel which serves as the palace for our operetta Caeusescu, the murderous ambition of the protagonists emerges as strictly farce. We are then in the Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson, with this orgy of colors, costumes, feathers and stoles which the orchestra finds the musical translation under the excellent direction of Paolo Carignani.

And because the imagination of directors is sometimes cinematographic but always Anglo-Saxon, Lady Macbeth is in turn Lauren Bacall, Jackie Kennedy, an unpayable Nancy Reagan all covered in gold and an Elisabeth Première at first redhead. and then bald. There, Béatrice Uria-Monzon finds a territory of expression that fits like a glove to her temperament of a stage animal. To say that the French mezzo-soprano makes short work of this reputedly unforgettable role is an understatement. It literally atomizes the scene.

Camille DE RIJCK

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Concertonet

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Olivier Fredj reflected intensively on Macbeth. Assuming the complexity of Shakespeare's play and Verdi's opera, whose dreamlike dimension she fully exploits, with fluid transitions to reality, she has the merit of maintaining a certain coherence. With theatrical acting, which is based on sustained acting direction, the scenography forms an essential, even central, element of the show, to the point of resorting to a graphic artistic director (sic) in the person of Jean Lecointre (...) modularity the decor and the attention to detail are admired - the sofa representing a brain, for example. The witches' outfits and hairstyles, embodied by dancers, are real creations.

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