On the occasion of his staging of Don Giovanni at the Corum in Montpellier, the actress and director discusses her reading of Mozart’s opera, between drama, social satire and reflection on relationships of domination in the post-#MeToo era. Inspired by her experience in the opera world, she also presents at the Cannes Film Festival The Object of the crime.
We know you more as an actress, screenwriter and director. What made you want to direct Don Giovanni?
It was Christophe Ghristi (artistic director of the Opéra national du Capitole de Toulouse, Editor’s note) who suggested it to me. And obviously, I couldn’t say no because it’s a masterpiece. Living with a masterpiece for two years, between the moment it was offered to me and the completion, it’s an immense privilege.
Mozart describes the work as a “dramma giocoso” (joyful drama). How did you approach this balance between the comedy of the opera buffa and the tragic grandeur of the work?
At first, I didn’t see at all what “giocoso” could be. The drama seemed obvious to me, but the funny side escaped me. And it was by working, by rehearsing, that I discovered truly funny moments, musically and in situations. I understood better.
Did you choose to preserve the historical context, instead of giving in to the trend of modern transposition?
Because I didn’t feel the need. I find the work profoundly modern as it is. I have nothing against contemporary transpositions, sometimes it is fascinating. This has already been done enormously, in particular for the myth of Don Juan. For me, modernity resides in the text and the eternal character of these characters. Moreover, maintaining the The framework of the time sheds light on the work in an essential way: it is a time when the night is dark and frightening, where traveling takes time, and where the weight of society, social classes and religion is much heavier.
A Don Giovanni “à la Elon Musk or Donald Trump”
How do we portray today a character that you yourself describe as a predator?
Already, it depends a lot on the person who embodies it. In Toulouse, it was Mikhail Timoshenko, who we find in Montpellier, and who exudes something very young. His proposal brings a “son of a billionaire” side, like Elon Musk or Donald Trump: a kind of destructive and almost suicidal bulimia. He’s a brat who uses his privileges because he believes he has the right to everything. I tried not to judge the character straight away. While working on the work and listening to the music, I especially see someone addicted. He moves so quickly, he throws himself so much into pleasures that I find him more bulimic and sick than truly sensual or enjoyable.
Was it also a way of avoiding the clichés surrounding Don Juan?
Yes, definitely. We all have very strong representations of Don Juan, Leporello and the other characters. It’s a constant difficulty when you perform such a well-known work: you have to try to get rid of the clichés.
How do you approach this work in the post-MeToo era?
The women of the opera are very different from each other. Zerlina, for example, is fascinated by someone powerful and attractive. Elvira is under the illusion that she will be able to save this man. As for Donna Anna, she pursues Don Giovanni to punish him after being assaulted. The fact that a predator can have charisma or the power of fascination is not contradictory with MeToo. This is even what makes these situations complex. We have always seen clearly to what extent certain personalities exert a force of desire and domination over others.
What changes when you direct opera singers rather than actors?
The first difference is that we don’t choose each other. In cinema or theater, I often choose the actors and they know who they are going to work with. There, you have to build a relationship of trust more gradually. And then there is the weight of the repertoire. Some singers arrive with very fixed ideas about the characters: “Don Giovanni is like that”, “Donna Elvira is like that”. We must then discuss and research together.
Après Tosca, gallop et Don Giovanniis there a work that you dream of producing?
All. I am unable to choose. What I particularly like is that I am offered works that I would not have dared to think of myself.
Your news is also cinema. You present your latest film out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival, The object of the crimewhich takes place precisely in the medium of opera. The documentation must have been easy…
I was totally inspired by what I experienced from the inside! This is the big advantage. I don’t particularly like pure documentation work; I much prefer to talk about what I know or what I have been through intimately.
This film creates an ideal bridge between your two worlds.
Yes, it also allows me to continue to live with Mozart, to introduce this universe to more novice people and to work with singer friends, which is a great joy.
The film deals with sexual assault in the performing arts industry. Is this a subject that was close to your heart?
I find it fascinating to observe how these questions are reshuffling the cards today. Putting this into perspective with a period work which already denounces the right to privilege and the abuse of power over hierarchical inferiors allows us to measure the progress we have made and to see where we are. Feminist issues are at the heart of my reflections.
What does the Cannes Film Festival mean to you?
It is the largest film festival in the world. Presenting a film there, in these magnificent theaters, with an audience who deeply loves cinema, is a very powerful experience. It’s also an opportunity to reunite with the entire film team and celebrate a shared adventure.
So is it a festival that you particularly like?
When I present a film there, yes. Otherwise, no.
