⚠⚠ Following the decisions taken by the competent authorities in the context of the health crisis,
the performances of Hamlet, scheduled from October 29 to November 10, are canceled. Click here to track your reservations.

Libretto by Michel CARRÉ and Jules BARBIER

New production

• Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège
• Opéra Comique
• Beijing Music Festival
• Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb
• Collectif MxM

For the first time at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège !

The story

Claudius has become King of Denmark after having assassinated his brother and married his widow. Hamlet, the son of the deceased, is in love with the beautiful Ophelia (Ophélie), the daughter of the chamberlain. He is visited by the ghost of his father who orders him to avenge him. Feigning madness, he rejects Ophelia (Ophélie) who loses her mind and drowns herself. Hamlet kills Claudius and accedes to the throne, but is disconsolate at having lost the woman he loves.

To be or not to be… 

One year after the famous Don Carlos by Verdi, in 1868, the Opéra de Paris produced Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas, a work that met with resounding success worldwide. The great Shakespeare who the romantics rediscovered with emotion and stupefaction became the reference for tragedy perfectly suited to the aesthetics of French opera. Whilst the work takes some liberties with the original play, it maintains, thanks to the librettists who worked on Gounod’s Faust, its dramatic unity.

In this version of Hamlet, the exploitation of the work’s passions finds a rare level of depth. It leads us to ask existential questions on human nature, “To be or not to be…” and thrills us thanks to the incredible vocal prowess that expresses the deeply moving madness of Ophelia. The title role, which is off limits for traditional tenors, is considered to be one of the finest in the baritone repertoire.

This wonderful production combining traditional theatre and modern video technology offers us a veritable immersion in the heart of the action… as if we were actually in its midst! Enthralling!

* Staging had to be adapted due to current health constraints and is freely inspired by the one presented at the Opéra Comique in 2018.