Lyrical Destination in the Heart of the Indian Ocean

At the heart of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius offers a new scene for the opera. "The opera is associated with the Mauritian history is our heritage as well as other traditional music," says Mauritian Paul Olsen, founder of the Festival Opera Mauritius. This music lover then mentioned some dates which is a measure of the past: Blaise and Babet in 1796, The Barber of Seville in 1824, L'Africaine in 1873, Rigoletto in 1878, Carmen in 1885. Mauritian music but do not stop with the nostalgia of "Letan lontan" * he made the crazy to launch an opera festival as a stage to give talented young Mauritians to provide quality entertainment to the public.

It is the meeting of Paul Olsen with the German soprano Katrin Caine, residing in Mauritius, and the German conductor Martin Wettges which launched the first note of this musical adventure, in 2009, the curtain of a Mauritian theater rises again on an opera, The Pearl Fishers, accompanied by a symphony orchestra, the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. The Festival Opera Mauritius was a challenge and was taken from the first year with Mauritian and foreign artists who have captivated audiences and critics.

In 2010, the second festival with Carmen moved permanently the event as the meeting place of opera in the Indian Ocean.Mauritian and European soloists accompanied by the chorus of Opera Mauritius has attracted almost 10,000 spectators. Also present were personalities from the international opera directors whose operas Perth and Cape Town who were impressed by the artistic qualities of this production in Mauritius. 

"This recognition by our peers gave us an international reputation for providing our island to the Destination Status lyrical. Opera lovers and classical music during the day can enjoy the beach, golfing or scuba diving and, in the evening, attend an opera, a concert or a recital, "said Paul Olsen who is preparing the next festival season of 14 to 23 September 2012 where the soprano Véronique Zuel-Mauritian Bungaroo perform Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata, opera to be staged in the '20s. A great symphony concert, recitals of chamber music, a lecture on La Traviata by a specialist in European opera in the nineteenth century and a costume parade of scenes designed by stylists Mauritius are also scheduled. 

Festival Opera Mauritius offers lyrical music lovers a delicious cocktail in the tropics.

* Mauritian Creole in the past