Content from Chorégies d'Orange

The ambiguities of Verdi’s theatre are particularly clear in his baritone roles, among which is that of Boccanegra, corsair turned doge of Genoa and the troubled observer of the conflicts that tore apart 14th century landowners and peasants. An eminently political opera in which power struggles are interwoven with family conflicts, Simon Boccanegra echoes the life of its composer – the man who championed the cause of Italian unification and overcame the loss of his wife and children.

Oroveso, a Druid High Priest, gathers his people in a sacred forest and prays to their gods for help in vanquishing the Romans who have taken over Gaul. Unbeknownst to Oroveso, his daughter, Norma, a High Priestess, has for some time been the lover of Pollione, the leader of the Romans; she has, in fact, not only broken her sacred vow of chastity but has borne two children to the warrior. Norma uses her position to dissuade the Gauls from attacking the Romans, claiming that the gods have told her that the time is not favourable. Recorded at Théâtre Antique d'Orange, 1974

After a first recital at the majestic Royal Opera of Versailles in December 2020, followed by performances at the Philharmonie de Paris, Mika discovers the Chorégies d'Orange for the first time. Thanks to Simon Leclerc's mischievous arrangements, the pop star reinvents his hits accompanied by the Orchestre national Avignon-Provence and the Chœur Région Sud conducted by Michel Piquemal. More than a return to his roots, this symphonic concert is a journey into the intimate history of its performer. A journey during which several genres and cultures come together. A wonderful journey that only Mika knows how to create, guided by his curiosity and his desire to break the rules.

Live performance from Chorégies d'Orange, 11 July 2015.