Performance Review | Versailles Comes to Nanjing
TIME：
2024-04-11
Throughout history, music has always played an indispensable role—transcending time and space, connecting past and present, conveying emotions and stories.
📸 Photos by: Marco Strullu
On the evening of April 8, Nanjing Poly Theatre was filled to capacity as the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles presented a magnificent musical feast, allowing Nanjing audiences a rare glimpse into the courtly splendor once reserved for Europe’s grandest opera hall.
📸 Photos by: Dong Jiaxun, Nanjing Daily / Purple Mountain News
Under the baton of conductor Stéphane Pleyneac, the orchestra collaborated with guest violinist Zhang Zhang, countertenors Logan Lopez Gonzalez and Théo Imart, delivering a vibrant performance of Baroque masterpieces. Their music, rich with French elegance, transported listeners directly into the opulent halls of the Palace of Versailles.
📸 Photos by: Dong Jiaxun, Nanjing Daily / Purple Mountain News
📸 Photos by: Marco Strullu
The Opéra Royal du Château de Versailles—a cradle of court music and a witness to centuries of French history—is home to the official resident orchestra, which presents over a hundred performances each year. Working with world-renowned conductors and musicians, the orchestra specializes in the Baroque and Romantic repertoires.
In Nanjing, they performed classic pieces such as Marche de Cérémonie, Among the Colored Clouds, and Rondeau des Vents—works once favored by historical figures like Louis XIV and Napoleon. Hearing them played on a Nanjing stage felt like a dialogue across time.
Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, a quintessential Baroque masterpiece, vividly depicts the shifting sceneries and moods of nature through music. Under the orchestra’s interpretation, the audience could almost feel the vitality of spring, the passion of summer, the abundance of autumn, and the tranquility of winter.
The two countertenors delivered a particularly breathtaking performance—their voices ethereal, luminous, and emotionally resonant. They not only captured the elegance and rhythmic sophistication of Baroque vocal music but also showcased the pinnacle of the male vocal range.
📸 Photos by: Dong Jiaxun, Nanjing Daily / Purple Mountain News
📸 Photos by: Marco Strullu
Following the performance, the orchestra returned for a 20-minute encore. They played beloved Chinese pieces such as Jasmine Flower, and even adapted One Night in Beijing into One Night in Nanjing, singing in Chinese to the audience’s delight. In that moment, music became a bridge connecting French and Chinese cultures—blending traditions and emotions.
📸 Photos by: Marco Strullu
This performance by the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles was more than a musical feast—it was a true cultural exchange. Nanjing, a city steeped in history and cultural richness, continues to attract world-class artistic performances. This concert allowed local audiences to experience the magnificence of French court music while deepening mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of China and France.
We look forward to welcoming more international artists to Nanjing in the future, bringing even more extraordinary cultural experiences to the city. May Nanjing continue to shine as a vibrant bridge for global cultural exchange.
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