La Caravane du Caire

André Grétry (1741 - 1813)

Opera-ballet in three acts, libretto by Étienne Morel de Chédeville, first performed at the Théâtre royal de Fontainebleau in 1783.

New production

Hélène Guilmette Zélime
Jean-Gabriel Saint-Martin Husca Florestan
Marie Perbost Almaïde
Pierre Derhet Saint-Phar
Enguerrand de Hys Tamorin
Robert Gleadow Osman Pacha
Lili Aymonino French slave
Chantal Santon Jeffery Italian slave
Lucie Edel German slave
Benoît Descamps Osmin
Samuel Guibal Furville

Emma Brest, Malory Delenclos, Vincent Gerbet, Margritte Gouin, Ludovick Le Floc'h, Laurine Ristroph, Edward Tracz and Dominic Who Dancers

Royal Opera Ballet 
Le Concert Spirituel Chorus and orchestra
Hervé Niquet Conductor
Marshall Pynkoski Stage direction
Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg Choreography 
Antoine Fontaine Sets 
Camille Assaf Costumes 
Hervé Gary Lighting
Stéphane Le Bel Lighting assistant
Elisabeth Geiger Singer 

A masterpiece resurrected! La Caravane du Caire was a triumph when it premiered in 1783, and continued to resonate through the ranks of Napoleon's army with the chorus “La Victoire est à nous!”. Grétry's colorful piece, with its patriotic accents, is a true hymn to France: in the sands of Egypt, the “brave Frenchman” Saint-Phar tries to free his beloved Zélime from the slave trader who is going to sell her to the Pacha, the true ogre of the fable! Grétry's dazzling music constantly scores points in this stylish entertainment! The rocambolical situations and ballets feature a sparkling cast, a veritable gallery of characters swept up in a music-hall Orient by the winning duo from Richard the Lionheart by the same Grétry: Marshall Pynkoski and Hervé Niquet!