2021 – Samson et Dalila

Premiered in November 2018 on the stage of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, this co-production of Samson et Dalila, with the Chorégies d’Orange and the Shanghai Opera, marks the work’s return to the Théâtre Antique stage after several decades of absence. The last scheduled production was in 1978.
Jean-Louis Grinda’s dazzlingly restrained production uses the natural scenery of the Théâtre d’Orange, while the video mapping created by Etienne Guiol and Arnaud Pottier, directors of Ateliers BK, adds visual substance to the emotions created by the opera. The result is a moment out of time, where the voices blend with the animated backdrops. Among the paintings, a sky studded with stars echoes the universal aspect of love, then the sky darkens with lightning clouds as Delilah’s betrayal becomes clearer.

Music:Daniele Callegari
Light Design & Scenography : Laurent Castaingt
Director: Jean-Louis Grinda
Set design: Eric Chevalier
Costumes: Françoise Raybaud
Choreography: Eugénie Andrin
Video Content: Arnaud Pottier – Les Ateliers BK

2020 – La Gioconda

La Gioconda, a 19th-century Italian work conceived as a grand spectacle in the style of French grand opera, is directed by Jean-Louis Grinda in a minimalist set. The ancient stones of the Orange theatre are virtually devoid of any physical scenery. Videomapping has been used to dress the floor and breathe new life into this thousand-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site.
Video projections dress up the space, echoing the theatrical action, such as the regatta illustrated in Act I or the frescoes reminiscent of Tintoretto’s work adorning the Doge’s Palace in Venice, which illustrate the party in Act III from which the characters seem to escape to dance the famous Ballet of the Hours. In this way, the sounds and images resonate, complementing and enriching the theatrical experience, for an immersive, emotionally-charged moment at the heart of a heritage jewel.

2019 – Guillaume Tell

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Chorégies d’Orange, Jean-Louis Grinda’s staging of Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” reinvents classical opera with a bold fusion of music, set design and videomapping conceived by the Ateliers BK teams. Rossini’s work, glorifying the homeland and nature, comes to life on the stage of Orange’s Théâtre Antique.
The scenography, guided by video, takes the public through the picturesque landscapes of Helvetia, from quiet villages to austere fortresses. The 3D sets conjure up striking images that are transformed before the public’s eyes by video mapping projected onto them. From the calm of a serene sky to the fury of a raging storm, this multi-sensory immersion transports the spectator.
Set against the spectacular backdrop of Orange’s Théâtre Antique, the stage production breathes new life into the opera classics. Using videomapping and modern technology, “William Tell” is given a new lease of life: a contemporary show for a timeless story.