NEC Opera Presents Poulenc’s "Dialogues of the Carmelites"

New England Conservatory (NEC)’s Opera Studies Department presents Francis Poulenc’s opera, Dialogues of the Carmelites, streaming June 23-24, 2021.

The Martyrs of Compiègne, Carmelite nuns, are caught in the closing days of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution. In 1794 they were guillotined in Paris for refusing to renounce their vocation. Blanche de la Force is an aristocratic novice who flees her convent when it is desecrated, only to return and join her fellow nuns as they are led to their execution.

The three-act opera, divided into sixteen scenes, is sung in English, and the production is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. Recorded in NEC's state-of-the-art Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre with piano accompaniment, the opera is free and will be available at the scheduled broadcast times by visiting:

June 23, 7pm ET: https://necmusic.edu/events/poulenc-dialogues-carmelites-june23

June 24, 7pm ET: https://necmusic.edu/events/poulenc-dialogues-carmelites-june24

The performances will be available to stream on-demand for two weeks following the premieres.

Artistic Team:

Joshua Major, stage director

BallSquare Films, film production

Erica Brookhyser, Guest Artist

Michael Strauss, musical preparation and piano

Daniel Wyneken, musical preparation and piano

Erica J. Washburn, choral preparation

Da-Yu Liu and Seulah Noh, choral pianists

Cesara Walters, stage manager

Jeff Adelberg, Lighting Design

Johnathan Smith, Sound

June 23 Cast:

Angela Yam, Blanche

Raji Venkat, Constance

Erica Brookhyser, Madame de Croissy – Guest Artist

Margaret Malone, Madame Lidoine

Ana Mora, Mère Marie

Juliette Kaoudji, Mère Jeanne

Lizzy Stant, Soeur Mathilde

Andrew Stack, Marquis/Dr. Javelinot

Anthony León, Chevalier

Samuel Rosner, L'Aumônier

Matthew Christopher, Jailor/2nd Commissioner/1st Officer

Josaphat Contreras, 1st Commissioner/Thierry

NUNS: Chihiro Asano, Marina Beeson, Brittany Bryant, Marissa Fieland, Molly Flynn, Lauren Guthridge, Emma Robertson, Katherine Skafidas, Huanhuan Xie

June 24 Cast:

Michaela Kelly, Blanche

Sara Buggy, Constance

Erica Brookhyser, Madame de Croissy – Guest Artist

Allyson Bennett, Madame Lidoine

Darby Clinard, Mère Marie

Juliette Kaoudji, Mère Jeanne

Lizzy Stant, Soeur Mathilde

Andrew Stack, Marquis/Dr. Javelinot

Samuel Rosner, Chevalier

Philippe L’Esperance, L'Aumônier

Matthew Christopher, Jailor/2nd Commissioner/1st Officer

Josaphat Contreras, 1st Commissioner/Thierry

NUNS: Chihiro Asano, Marina Beeson, Brittany Bryant, Marissa Fieland, Molly Flynn, Lauren Guthridge, Emma Robertson, Katherine Skafidas, Huanhuan Xie