Almost a year ago, Pene Pati and Adèle Charvet made their respective role debuts as Werther and Charlotte in a concert version in Geneva.

It is on the stage of the Opéra Comique that we find them reunited once again, this time for their debuts in a fully staged production.

Here, Ted Huffman opts for restraint : very little scenery and scene changes carried out in full view, giving the work a distinctly modern theatrical vision. Refocusing the action on the characters without external artifice seems to be the guiding principle. It must be said that this approach works thanks to the two main protagonists, even if certain choices (the kiss given early in the opera, or the suicide without the pistol) seem to run counter to the work’s intent without adding any significant interest. The action nevertheless remains clear, at least for those who may already know the piece.

One of the great triumphs of the evening is undoubtedly Raphaël Pichon and his ensemble Pygmalion. An extremely poignant, raw conducting style that gives full substance and bite to this sublime score, sometimes played too cautiously. Here, the complexity of feelings and their violence are heightened. But silence also plays a role, allowing for suspended moments. The entire soul of the protagonists is present, thanks in large part to a conductor in total command of pacing.

In the secondary roles, Christian Immler’s jovial Bailli leads a delightful Maîtrise populaire de l’Opéra Comique, while his two acolytes Johann (Jean-Christophe Lanièce) and Schmidt (Carl Ghazarossian) form a jubilant duo that brings much-needed lightness to the rest of the work.

John Chest offers a very human, conflicted Albert. He never comes across as unsympathetic, thus avoiding an unwelcome manicheism. The voice is dense and the phrasing excellent.

The same compliment could be paid to Julie Roset, whose Sophie never strays into a display of gratuitous high notes, as one too often hears in this role. Here, everything is superbly controlled, and while all the high notes are present, they serve the character and her splendid diction. A voice to watch !

It is difficult to separate the couple formed by Adèle Charvet and Pene Pati, such is the symbiosis of their performance. Rarely does one see on our operatic stages a couple of such sincerity. Their acting is of the highest level, where every facial expression and every gesture speaks, without any exaggeration.Vocally, Adèle Charvet’s magnificent middle register gives full substance to her character, her “air des larmes” is a jewel of authenticity and heartbreak.

Pene Pati, for his part, offers a Werther whose romanticism is never showy, with sensitivity constantly on edge. Rendering the character tormented and also presenting his almost unhinged side, he displays a whole palette of emotional colors with rare intelligence. His “Pourquoi me réveiller” does not sound like an expected hit aria, but rather like the natural continuation of his character’s inner thoughts, and this, is a true joy.

This production will remain memorable thanks to a sublime duo and a conductor in full command of his vision.

One can only hope that this precious repertoire will continue to be explored, for which the Opéra Comique is the perfect home.

Fortunately, Arte has broadcasted this performance, and it is available to watch again on replay.

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Direction musicale : Raphaël Pichon

Mise en scène : Ted Huffman

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Werther : Pene Pati

Charlotte : Adèle Charvet

Albert : John Chest

Sophie : Julie Roset

Johann : Jean-Christophe Lanièce

Schmidt : Carl Ghazarossian

Brühlmann : Paul-Louis Barlet

Kätchen : Flore Royer

Le Bailli : Christian Immler

Fritz, Max, Hans, Karl, Clara, Gretel : Maîtrise Populaire de l’Opéra-Comique