Les Dinos et l'Arche, a Darwinian opera, a dystopian fable
Music by Thomas Leininger (*1981)
Libretto by Tina Hartmann (*1973) and Cédric Costantino (*1974)
World premiere in French at La Cité Bleue
Alas, dinosaurs, the dream of children of all ages, have disappeared. Of course, books tell us that a meteorite devastated the planet. But what if the dinosaurs missed Noah's Ark because of a sundial that was misaligned by the clouds? In this musical fable, as funny as it is profound, Charles Darwin himself, with his charming iguana rescued from the Galápagos archipelago, travels back in time to give the great reptiles a second chance. Aboard a fantastic ship, the dinosaurs set off in search of a magical plant that could save them from the Flood by transforming them into birds...
Part satire, part tender tale, Les Dinos et l'Arche brings together humans, animals and extinct creatures in a changing society that is a distorted but revealing mirror of our own. In a whirlwind of emotions, absurd dialogue, bursts of laughter and spectacular transformations, it becomes clear that dinosaurs are forced to adapt to survive in a world doomed to extinction... Does that ring a bell?
With a colourful cast, a ten-piece orchestra and Julien Condemine's inventive staging, this mini-opera, reminiscent of a journey through space and time, draws on the Baroque heritage to question our own era. Visually daring, musically delightful, and brilliantly conducted by Leonardo García-Alarcón, Les Dinos et l'Arche is an opera for curious minds of all ages.
Tuesday, 3 February 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 4 February 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, 6 February 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, 7 February 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets Price A
Category 1 Category 2
Full Price 65.- 55.-
AVS/Unemployment 55.- 45.-
Young & Students (<26 ans) 35.- 25.-
Carte 20ans/20francs 25.- 20.-
AI/Reduced Mobility 30.-
1 hour 20 minutes, no intermission
Thomas Leininger, composer
Cédric Costantino and Tina Hartmann, libretto
Cédric Costantino, Myrielle Schnewlin & Thomas Leininger, French adaptation
Julien Condemine, director
Nikolett Kuffa, assistant director
Margaux Blanchard, dramaturgy
Hélène Fief, set design
Sylvain Wavrant, costumes
Sylvain Séchet, lighting/video design
Romain Lalire, visual effects
Leonardo García-Alarcón, musical direction
Jacopo Raffaele, assistant musical director
Ariel Rychter, assistant score
Cappella Mediterranea
Actors-singers: an iguana / Darwin’s wife, Darwin
The dinosaurs: Struthiomimus, Anatosaurus, Velociraptor, Tyrannosaurus, Archaeopterix, Brachiosaurus, Triceratops, Parasaurolophus
The mammals: Rat, Cat, Kangaroo, Dog
In co-production with Cappella Mediterranea
For families, ages 12 and up