“Les Misérables” at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris
Two special events in Rome: Petrenko conducts the Orchestra di S. Cecilia; and the Romaeuropa Festival draws to a close with the Classical Rave Party
‘Les Misérables’, a musical that has enjoyed extraordinary, worldwide success and offers a journey into 19th-century Paris – masterfully depicted by Victor Hugo – returns to the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris; the production has been awarded the Prix Molière. In Rome, there will be a special appearance by the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, Petrenko, leading the Orchestra di S. Cecilia. The atmosphere changes, still at the Parco della Musica, for the Classical Rave Party, which brings the Romaeuropa Festival to a close.
Paris
From 11 November to 10 January, the musical “Les Misérables” will be performed at the Théâtre du Châtelet. We are talking about a show which, over the past forty years, has racked up 150,000 performances in nearly 500 cities around the world, attracting 130 million spectators and winning over 190 international awards, a show translated into 24 languages. The Théâtre du Châtelet’s new French-language production returns to Paris, having been awarded the Molière (France’s highest theatre honour) in 2025.
A true manifesto for social justice, it will introduce us to (or allow us to rediscover) famous songs such as ‘J’avais rêvé’, ‘À la volonté du peuple’, ‘Mon histoire’ and ‘Le Grand Jour’. The librettist Alain Boublil has revised, adapted and amended the libretto, based on Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name; whilst the composer Claude-Michel Schönberg has reworked the score. Ladislas Chollat has opted for a minimalist approach to the direction, leaving plenty of room for the story, the text and its interpretation.
Rome
On 12th, 13th and 14th, Kirill Petrenko, chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, will be making a rare appearance in Italy at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, conducting the Orchestra di Santa Cecilia. The programme brings together three distinct periods of the German musical tradition, ranging from Hindemith’s 20th-century works to Schumann’s Romanticism, and the intense, nostalgic vision of Richard Strauss. The concert opens with the symphony inspired by the opera *Mathis der Maler*, which was condemned by the Nazis for its references to the painter Matthias Grünewald and his struggle for freedom of expression. Tenor Benjamin Bernheim will then perform some of Richard Strauss’s most passionate and poignant Lieder. The evening concludes with Schumann’s Third Symphony, the ‘Rhenish’.
Also at the Auditorium, the Romaeuropa Festival draws to a close on the 15th, celebrating the convergence of classical, contemporary and pop music, marking the grand finale of the 41st edition of the REF. A veritable musical marathon: twelve hours of concerts, with an afternoon offering a preview of the celebrations for Philip Glass’s 90th birthday (January 2027), featuring a complete performance of “Études” by Vanessa Wagner and “Águas da Amazônia” with Third Coast Percussion; and the day beginning and ending at the Sala Santa Cecilia, entirely dedicated to the Classical Rave Party. An idea conceived by Enrico Melozzi to break down the boundaries between academia and real life, between concert and party. Thousands of people, right up until dawn, demonstrating that the limit lies not in the music, but in the perspective of those who present it. A great collective ritual of listening, a finale capable of transcending repertoires, audiences and atmospheres, restoring music to the form of a shared, open, overwhelming and deeply contemporary celebration. The morning will be dedicated to 100 Cellos with Giovanni Sollima; the evening to the Orchestra Notturna Clandestina with Alessandro Baricco, Gloria Campaner, Elsa Lila, Anastasio and Fasma. An idea conceived by Enrico Melozzi to break down the boundaries between academia and real life, between concert and celebration. Thousands of people, until dawn, demonstrating that the limit lies not in the music, but in the perspective of those who present it.
