Joan, Jalousie and Jet Lag
15 – 21 November 2025
Saturday 15 November
Flew to Amsterdam. At Dutch National Opera, Tchaikovsky’s Орлеанская дева (The Maid of Orleans) received a rare outing in a production by Dmitri Tcherniakov, with the Netherlands Philharmonic under Valentin Uryupin in the pit. I didn’t find Tcherniakov’s concept especially convincing, yet his trademark fascination with architectural sets once again yielded a potent visual experience. The true star of the evening, however, was Tchaikovsky’s tumultuous, lyrical score. I was fortunate to be seated only a few feet from the woodwinds, and found myself floored more than once by the sheer melodic and harmonic beauty of their contributions.
Sunday 16 November
Flew back to Paris. At the Comédie des Champs-Élysées, an original French musical called Peau d’homme, based on a graphic novel, left me with conflicting feelings. On the one hand, the story conveyed clever messages about gender roles without undue heaviness. On the other, many of the lyrics suffered from a marked lack of levity and a shaky sense of prosody. Nevertheless, the excellent cast worked wonders to “sell” the finished product, however flawed.
Later, I watched the French film L’Inconnu de la Grande Arche, freely inspired by the real story of Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, the Danish architect who designed Paris’s Grande Arche de La Défense and didn’t live to see it completed, after distancing himself from a construction process he felt no longer reflected his vision — a scenario uncannily reminiscent of other well-known episodes, such as Jean Nouvel’s break with the Philharmonie de Paris. An engrossing saga, carried by a remarkable cast, in which I was delighted to find Sidse Babett Knudsen, famous for the series Borgen.
Tuesday 18 November
Paris – At the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France — in a reduced formation — offered a compelling programme consisting of two of Russian composer Mieczysław Weinberg’s concertos followed by Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 14, under the baton of Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, a champion of Weinberg’s works. Both Weinberg’s Flute Concerto No. 1 (with Mathilde Calderini) and his Violin Concertino Op. 42 (played by the legendary Gidon Kremer) proved engaging, if not revelatory. The Shostakovich, on the other hand, was pure lyrical poetry, thanks in no small measure to soprano Aušrinė Stundytė and bass Alexei Botnarciuc.
Wednesday 19 November
Paris — Cédric Jimenez’s Chien 51 made a strong case that a French film can convincingly portray a dystopian technological world without looking cheap, naive, or preposterous. The special effects and action sequences supplied rhythm and visual flair, but never at the expense of depth or emotion. The relative predictability of the denouement didn’t diminish my enjoyment — all the more so as the ensemble of French “names” rose to the occasion and lent real credibility to the story.
Thursday 20 November
Paris – At the Théâtre de la Michodière, celebrating its centenary, Sacha Guitry’s 1915 comedy La Jalousie was given a high-octane revival directed by leading man Michel Fau. The staging eschewed needless gesticulation and concentrated instead on Guitry’s expertly crafted prose, emphasising its inner cadence and signature witticisms. I was delighted that the legendary comedienne Geneviève Casile played Mme Buzenay, the mother, with her characteristic, poised deportment.
Friday 21 November
Flew to New York. On the flight, I watched Quentin Dupieux’s L’Accident de piano (2025), which astutely questions the excesses and convoluted logics of social-media fame. Low-key and unpretentious, the film benefits from strong performances, notably that of Adèle Exarchopoulos — who, coincidentally, was also the star of Chien 51, which I’d seen two days earlier.
At the Vivian Beaumont Theater, what began as Encores!’ 2024 “Gala Production” of Ragtime morphed into a full-blown-ish version. Ragtime is arguably the last great American musical of the 20th century, yet this visually underwhelming performance didn’t deliver the full impact of the show — the concert version, ironically, had more oomph. The cast was not to blame, although it’s doubtful Marin Mazzie and Audra McDonald’s performances will ever be matched.
And so, for now, the lights dim… until the next act.