"Dialogues des Carmélites" takes us on a moving journey into a time in which faith, fear and courage collide - an opera that focuses on the struggle for conviction and humanity.

In the turmoil of the French Revolution, a group of nuns struggle for self-determination, faith and dignity. Francis Poulenc's "Dialogues des Carmélites" is a deeply moving piece of music theater that focuses on fear, devotion and the power of faith. The libretto is based on the historical events surrounding the Carmelite nuns of Compiègne, who were sentenced to death in 1794.

At the center of the plot is Blanche de la Force, who, plagued by fear, flees to the convent and begins her novitiate there. But the revolution soon reaches the walls of the convent: the nuns are arrested and handed over to the scaffold. Blanche, who had initially fled, returns at the last hour to suffer martyrdom together with her fellow nuns.

Under the musical direction of Marie Jacquot and directed by Jetske Mijnssen, an impressive interplay of music and scene unfolds. The jointly sung "Salve Regina" on the way to the scaffold is one of the most poignant moments in opera literature. "Dialogues des Carmélites" is an opera that will stay with you for a long time thanks to its intensity and spiritual depth.
Premiere January 31
Further performances: February 8, 12, 15, 20 and 23, 2026