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Los Angeles Opera Podcast - Bizet's Carmen

A discussion with Emmanuel Villaume.

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Lyric Opera Podcast - Massenet's Manon

An interview with Maestro Villaume, Natalie Dessay
and Jonas Kaufmann.

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Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra appointment

Emmanuel Villaume has been appointed Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Maestro Villaume gives an extended interview to Bruce Duffie of The Opera Journal.

Interview with Emmanuel Villaume

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New Recordings:

- SOUVENIRS

Souvenirs - Maestro Villaume conducts the Prague Philharmonia and soprano Anna Netrebko in works by Charpentier, Grieg, Lehar and Offenbach.

- FRENCH HEROINES - Airs d'opéras français

French Heroines - Airs d'opéras français has been released
on CD on the Decca label. Emmanuel Villaume conducts the Orchestra
Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo with Nathalie Manfrino, soprano.
Works by Gounod, Massenet, Delibes, Debussy.

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In the press

Heidi Waleson, The Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2008

French opera doesn't get much respect -- the Italian and German varieties tend to be taken more seriously -- but if it were always produced like Massenet's "Manon" was at Lyric Opera of Chicago this month, that would change. As directed by David McVicar, starring Natalie Dessay and conducted by Emmanuel Villaume, this "Manon" was more than a few pretty tunes; it was a wrenching descent into the abyss.

Mr. Villaume's conducting was flowing and idiomatic: Ms. Dessay threw herself at his feet during the curtain call, and for good reason.

Andrew Patner, The Chicago Sun Times, September 26, 2008

Much credit goes to conductor Emmanuel Villaume, 44, the Strasbourg-born music director of the Spoleto USA festival. Taking the score with a remarkable level of seriousness, he plays it as music and not mere accompaniment or decoration.

With a gifted and deeply knowledgeable young French conductor in the pit and singers much more concerned with advancing their characters than their individual profiles, Lyric's new "Manon" is musically complete, dramatically involving and a truly moving evening in the theater.

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