Annick Massis as the Infante and Sonia Ganassi as Chimène in “Le Cid” by Massenet at the Paris Opera (photo Agathe Poupeney, Opera national de Paris)

It was a grand evening of Association pour le Rayonnement de l’Opera de Paris (AROP) and Palais Garnier was looking glitzy with hundreds of guests for dinner ! The arrival of former President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing seated on the first row of the balcony, created a little stir and he seemed very concentrated on « Le Cid » the opera composed by Jules Massenet on Pierre Corneille’s verses. The King of Spain, the brave Captain and Rodrigue’s victory must have reminded him of some of his political battles !
Everyone had come to hear famous French tenor, Roberto Alagna, who gave a wonderful performance but the surprise of the evening resided in the Infante’s Annick Massis’ performance which took the assistance by surprise. This rarely heard soprano, was so wonderful that I could not believe my luck at finding her in a little café across the street after the show, sipping a Blanche, a small beer with a couple of girlfriends.
As I congratulated her, she announced her future recital of songs by Olivier Messiaen, Reynaldo Hahn, but also Bellini and Verdi on April 29 th at the Bastille Auditorium. If you are free that evening, rush to hear her ! https://www.operadeparis.fr/