Souvenirs de Monte-Carlo

This recital by Jean-François Borras honours the fascinating history of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, the house that has performed more French repertoire than any other. Jean-François Borras, who received his initial training in the choir of the Monte-Carlo Cathedral and is an internationally-renowned ambassador of French vocal style, presents excerpts from works by Mascagni, Gunsbourg and Massenet that were composed for the Opéra there. Raoul Gunsbourg was the director of the Opéra de Monte Carlo (architect Charles Garnier) from 1893-1951 and the variety of his programming created the institution’s exceptional renown. Borras sings arias from operas that he has performed on the stage of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, including Roméo et Juliette (Gounod), Manon, Hérodiade, Werther (Massenet), Carmen (Bizet) and Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach), accompanied by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo under Pierre Dumoussaud, a young French conductor and specialist in operatic repertoire who is rapidly building an international career.