"Opera Staging of 'Hiroshima My Love' Assessed"
Montreal's Chants libres, in collaboration with Quatuor Bozzini and Carte blanche, are set to present a new creation at the TransAmériques Festival. This innovative piece is a lyrical adaptation of the classic film "Hiroshima mon amour," which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1959.
Chantal Bluveau, artistic director of Chants libres, explains, "Christian Lapointe's approach is not to transpose the film into opera, but rather to explore the subject of Marguerite Duras deciding to write about Hiroshima. We present a lyric theater that deals with this theme in both Hiroshima and the French city of Nevers."
The singers in the production will not always perfectly embody the film's two protagonists, but rather will lend their voices to them. The dual settings of Hiroshima and Nevers will remain, though their timelines may shift. As Bluveau notes, "We imagine it could take place in Montreal in 2025, but the historical events – such as Hiroshima and the Occupation – are still present, as they are essential to understanding the production."
At its core, the piece discusses the idea of forgetting. Bluveau explains, "It delves into how easy it was to forget Hiroshima, how easy it was for this girl to forget that German love 15 years later, and how easy it is for us to forget these events."
Bluveau finds it intriguing that such a European, historical, and cinematic piece can take on new meaning when adapted into a Quebecois lyric theater. She believes that director Christian Lapointe has skillfully layered different elements that make the production accessible to audiences, while still maintaining the essence of Marguerite Duras's text.
The "Hiroshima mon amour" project marks a new era for Chants libres. Bluveau explains, "When I took over the artistic direction, I was surprised by the amount of interest in opera and lyric theater. But I want Chants libres to remain a research-creation company, and this project allows us to explore new ways of collaborating with artists."
Bluveau highlights that Lapointe's unique approach to the project – a story and dramaturgical idea without a single note of music at its base – has opened up new possibilities for future collaborations. She hopes to continue developing projects according to non-traditional schemes, working outside the standard composer-send-a-score model.
The production will premiere at the TransAmériques Festival later this year.
The new creation by Montreal's Chants libres, in collaboration with Quatuor Bozzini and Carte blanche, at the TransAmériques Festival, delves into the theme of culture and entertainment through a lyrical adaptation of the classic film "Hiroshima mon amour." This lyric theater piece, directed by Christian Lapointe, explores the subject of Marguerite Duras deciding to write about Hiroshima, while also discussing the idea of forgetting and its relation to historical events.
