Grails, a lyrical mystery in three acts
Excerpts from King Arthur by Henry Purcell (1659–1695) and compositions by Kevin Juillerat (*1987) for baroque instruments and live electronics.
Libretto by Luc Birraux (*1989)
Premiere at the Théâtre du Jorat in Mézières, VD, on 17 August 2024
Everyone knows King Arthur and the legend of the Holy Grail. But what do we really know about the history of the Holy Grail before it reached the castle of the Fisher King? Graals takes us back in time to meet Joseph of Arimathea and Mary Magdalene, mysterious figures who embark on a perilous journey to preserve an object that has become a symbol as powerful as it is elusive. Between faith and superstition, history and myth, their journey crosses paths with the first Christians of Europe, pagan traditions and stories that, over the centuries, have shaped our collective imagination.
With a libretto and direction by Luc Birraux, Graals is a bold hybrid production that explores the intersections between theatre and opera, the sacred and the profane, and classical and experimental art. The music also creates a dialogue between eras: Kevin Juillerat from Vaud has composed a contemporary score for baroque and electronic instruments that resonates with the enigmatic world of Henry Purcell's King Arthur, one of the English composer's masterpieces.
Under the musical direction of Antoine Rebstein, this encounter between ancient and modern sounds gives rise to a unique language, between fidelity to tradition and daring reinvention. Graals is an initiatory journey where history, faith and myth intertwine, carried by exceptional artists, a musical and theatrical adventure to be discovered.
Sunday, 9 November 2025 at 5 p.m.
Tuesday, 11 November 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 12 November 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
Special rate tickets
Category 1 Category 2
Normal price 45.- 35.-
Young (under 26) 25.- 20.-
Students 20.- 15.-
1 hour 45 minutes, no intermission
Charlotte Bozzi, soprano
Marilou Jaccard, mezzo-soprano
Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, countertenor
Mark Kurmanbayev, bass
Beatriz Sayad, Alain Maratrat & Mickaël Comte, actors
Musicians Ensemble Operatic
Lea Al Saghir & Pablo Agudo Lopez, violins
Mathurin Bouny, viola
Karolina Plywaczewska, cello
Noëlle Reymond, double bass
Vincent Flückiger, theorbo
Coline Barbaray, flute
Carlos Bertão, bassoon
Martin Roux, oboe
Luc Birraux, libretto and staging
Antoine Rebstein, musical direction
Julien Brun, set design and lighting
Shanshan Ruan, costumes
Margaux Opinel, artistic collaboration and iconography
Matthieu Baumann, technical direction
Robert Torche, sound engineer
Gregory Wattebled and Florian Gibiat, sets and props
Produced by Cie Operatic/Daphné Bengoa, co-produced by La Plage – Grand Théâtre de Genève and La Cité Bleue; co-produced by Théâtre du Jorat, Grand Théâtre de Genève.
Ages 12 and up
Sunday, 9 November 2025, at 4 p.m.
Introduction to the show by Luc Birraux and Kevin Juillerat
