Laurent Pelly’s Poulenc wins International Opera Award

Laurent Pelly's double bill of La Voix humaine and Les Mamelles de Tirésias for Glyndebourne has won the Best New Production category in the International Opera Awards, held last night at Teatro Real in Madrid. As well as directing, Pelly co-designed the costumes with Jean-Jacques Delmotte, with set design by Caroline Ginet and lighting by Urs Schönebaum.

The award was collected by Glyndebourne’s Artistic Director Stephen Langridge, who said, ‘It’s wonderful to get this award. Robin Ticciati, who conducted this production, said to me that great opera is made through an alchemy of respect, and the way that Robin and Laurent Pelly led this production was absolutely exemplary. I had the fortunate position of being able to wander in and out, and to see the openness of rehearsal between performers, conductor, music staff and director was extraordinary alchemic gold.’

The double bill won many five-star reviews, with The Times writing, ‘Dig out your glad rags, pack up a picnic and beg, borrow or steal a ticket to Glyndebourne’s latest offering, a Poulenc double bill that will first turn you into an emotional wreck then have you laughing all the way home.’ Bachtrack’s reviewer described it as ‘the most fun I’ve had in an opera house in a very long time’ and The Guardian said it was a ‘passionate, full-blooded and hilarious staging that is superbly sung and played’.

The production is available to subscribers on Glyndebourne’s streaming service.