Conducted by Thierry Fischer and performed by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the production brought back to Geneva a major work by the 20th-century Swiss composer, completing a multi-year institutional focus on his repertoire.
Musical Direction and Orchestral Precision
Thierry Fischer led the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande through Martin’s atmospheric score, utilizing a broad spectrum of instrumental colors. According to reviews of the September 16 performance, the orchestra adapted its sound continuously to match the dramatic action, employing warm cello and tenor saxophone solos alongside sharper textures, such as the high-register bassoon. The score functioned as an amplification of Shakespeare’s soundscape, supporting Ariel’s ethereal stage-band harmonies, the grotesque accents of the Neapolitan court, and the comic lines of Trinculo, Stephano, and Caliban.
Vocal Cast and Linguistic Delivery
The production featured a nearly entirely francophone cast to handle the libretto’s heavy reliance on spoken dialogue, Sprechgesang, and full singing. Stéphane Degout portrayed Prospero, balancing the character’s dynamics as a protective father, a betrayed duke, and a powerful master of the island. Catherine Trottmann sang Miranda, the opera’s sole female role, while Julien Dran appeared as Ferdinand. The Neapolitan shipwrecked characters were split among individual vocalists, featuring Nicolas Cavallier as Alonso, Edwin Crossley-Mercer as Sebastian, Glen Cunningham as Adrian, Léo Vermot-Desroches as Antonio, and Christian Immler as Gonzalo. The comic trio comprised Alex Rosen as Caliban, François Rougier as Trinculo, and Christophe Gay as Stephano, backed by the Grand Théâtre de Genève Chorus and Joseph Chosson as Ariel.
Staging and Scenic Design
Directed and designed by Netia Jones, the production utilized a retro-futuristic aesthetic featuring a central rotating tower that served as Prospero’s laboratory. Malcolm Rippeth designed the lighting, while Lightmap provided video projections. While the musical execution drew positive acclaim from audiences, the staging faced criticism from reviewers for lacking distinct geographical separation between the shipwrecked groups and relying heavily on static backdrops and central tower rotations rather than dynamic actor movement.
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