Fridom (English version)

Jean-Luc Trulès & Emmanuel Genvrin

At Creation

The cast

Choir and orchestra

Réunion-Malagasy choir

Choeur de Fridom (2018) à la Cité des Arts
Soprani : Nicole Leichnig, Natacha Rajemison, Ranosiarilala Long, Fitia Ranibe. Alti  : Stephanie Amourdom, Ando rabeson, Miora Rakotoramambason, Mbola Razafindrazaka, Nathalie Rajoana. Ténors : Tom Leichnig, Léopold Pauline, Lova Raelison, Meja Rakotonirina, Manoa Randrianarimanana, Fitahiana Razendrahasina. Bass : Herrick Rajoana, Toky Rakotonirina, Aina Rakotondrazafy, Ando Razananaïvo.

Hangzhou Orchestra

Orchestre philarmonique d'Hangzhou
First violin : Hangchen Xiao. Violins : Chao Dong, Ruiziu Liu, Cuilu Lin, Ge Li, Rong Liu, Tranyin Xiao, Hui Zhang, Jinhui Zhang. Violas : Ziying He, Guannan Su, Yucong Zhuan. Cello : Zhiqu Chen, Zheng Zhang. Bass : Li Yongrui. Bassoon : Dong Jian. Oboe : Lian Duan. Clarinets : Dongjian Li, Yan Sun. Flutes  : Linghui Chen, Xingyun Ma. Trumpet : Luo Zuo. Trombone  :  Yilun Liu. Horn : Xiao Zhang. Saxophone : Zlu Qin. Classical percussion : Hao Xiong. Réunionese percussion : Tom Leichnig. Timbales : Zhijian Zhou.

A pirate radio station in a tropical island

The theme

Reunion Island is in turmoil due to an unstable social situation and potential confiscation of the transmitters of a popular pirate radio station, Fridom. One of the presenters, Mae, is abducted by a former lover, Ménéla, now a criminal on parole. Radio station boss Doctor Camille and policeman Mikael, both in love with the young woman, join forces to find her. But the transmitters are seized and the population rises up. Following riots, Mae and Ménéla die in a supermarket blaze.

The performance

1 hr 30 mins with English subtitles, composer and conductor Jean-Luc Trulès, director and libretto writer Emmanuel Genvrin, set designer and video images Hervé Mazelin, wardrobe Isabelle Gastellier. With  stars Magali Léger (Mae), Jean-Loup Pagesy Ménéla), Jean-François Novelli (Mikael), Pierre-Yves Binard (Dr Camille), a mixed choir from Reunion Island and Madagascar, and the Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra of China.

Videos

video capture (with English subtitles)
Stages of the project (in French)
Making-of (in French)
Buy the DVD

Creation and recording

After recording a piano and vocal performance of Fridom in Antananarivo in October 2016, then recording the orchestration in November 2017 at the Radio Centre of Hangzhou (China), the opera was filmed with set and costumes in October 2018 at the Cité des Arts in Saint-Denis, Reunion Island with scenography designed by Hervé Mazelin. Editing and mixing were carried out in 2019 and 2020 in Reunion, Caen, Clermont Ferrand, and Paris. Fridom was broadcast on the evening of 14 July 2020 (Bastille Day) on the France-Télévision TV channel Réunion la 1ère. 

Portfolio

photos captioned in French

Press reviews

The gift of Vollard.

Marine Dusigné – Le JIR

Nine years of creative work, grant search and negotiation are coming to an end.

Gabrielle Charritat – Le Quotidien

It’s opera but, very quickly, we are captivated by the police story and the loves of Maé against the background of riots at the Chaudron in 1991.audron en 1991.


Philippe Nanpon – Le Quotidien.

Opera Fridom: an ode to freedom.

Bérénice Alaterre – Zinfos974.

Articles (in French)

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