Discover Opera
From Year 1 to higher education
Opera is a complex art form, yet surprisingly accessible. Its multidisciplinary nature, the subjects it explores, the opportunities it offers for artistic practice and the shared experience of a cultural outing make it a rich educational resource. The ‘Discover Opera’ programmes cater to every educational approach, from introductory awareness to in-depth study.
A course in 4 or 5 steps
For teachers
1. Lyric culture appointments
Obligatory preparatory appointments with teachers one Wednesday from 3pm to 5:30pm at the Opera (stage door, 1 rue Ste-Catherine, 54 000 Nancy), with an artist, a trainer of the Délégation Académique à l’éducation Artistique et à l’action Culturelle (DAAC) and a cultural mediator from the Opera.
During scolar time
2. Visit of the Opera
Duration : 1 h 30 at 9am, 10:30am, 2pm ou 3:30pm on weekdays.
3. Presence during scenic rehearsal
Duration : 1 h 30 on afternoons at 1:30pm or 3pm
This step is replaced by a mediation session in class for the course Brodeck.
4. Encounters (optionnal)
One hour-long encounter with the artists of the Chorus and/or of the Orchestra and their chief at the Opera.
Outside scolar time
5. Representations at the Opera
We reserve places for you on lyric representations.
Practical information
For a fully rounded educational experience, an artistic, technical or scientific project in the classroom is strongly encouraged.
Price: €4 per person (student or accompanying adult)
For schools travelling from further afield, access may be offered to pre-dress and dress rehearsals that are not open to the general public. Participation in the programme is then free of charge.
All operas are surtitled in French. Studying the libretto and storyline in class beforehand is strongly recommended to ensure pupils get the most from the performance.
The operas Candide (Thursday 17 December 2026) and The Turk in Italy (Tuesday 22 June 2027) will be performed with audio description and preceded by a sensory tour for pupils with visual impairments.
Public performances take place at 8 pm on weekdays, 5 pm on Saturdays and 3 pm on Sundays.
Age recommendations are those indicated for general audiences and are not mandatory.
Programme
Discover the Opera #1
Otello
Giuseppe Verdi
Theme doubt, lies and tragedy
Submission of the educational file at the end of August 2026
Representations from Sept. 23 to Oct. 4, 2026
Encounter with the Chorus and the Orchestra Fri Oct. 2, 2026
Performance in italian
Duration : 2 h 45 with intermission, from 12 years old
Discover the Opera #2
Candide
Leonard Bernstein
Theme philosophical operatta
Lyric culture apointments Wed Oct. 14, 2026
Representations from Dec. 11 to 20, 2026 (1st Sunday of holiday)
Encounter with the Chorus and the Orchestra Mon. Dec 14, 2026 at 2pm
Performance in english
Duration : 2 h 20 with intermission, from 7 years old
Discover the Opera #3
The Phantom ship
Richard Wagner
Theme exile of yesterday, exile of today
Lyric culture apointments Wed Dec. 2, 2026
Representations from Jan 27 to Feb. 7, 2027
Encounter with the Chorus and the Orchestra Thu Feb 4, 2027 at 2pm
Performance in german
Duration : 2 h 20 with intermission, from 11 years old
Découvrez l’opéra #4
Brodeck
Daan Janssens
Theme memoiry et collective responsibility
Lyric culture apointments Wed Jan. 27, 2027
Mediation in class from Feb 8 to 12, 2027
Representations from March 12 to 20, 2027
Encounter with the Orchestra Mond March 15, 2027 at 2pm
Performance in french
Duration 2 h 30 with intermission, from 12 years old
Discover the Opera #5
Calder in Nancy 1 / NOX #5 2
1 Socrate, Erik Satie
Work in Progress, Niccolò Castiglioni, Aldo Clementi et Bruno Maderna
2 A creation based on the miraclophone Karl Naegelen et Création 2026, Félix Blume
Theme to sculpt the music (echoing the Calder on Stage exhibition at the Centre Pompidou-Metz)
Lyric culture apointments Wed March 10, 2027
Representations from April 9 to11, 2027
Duration : 1 h without intermission, from 7 years old
Discover the Opera #6
The Turk in Italy
Gioacchino Rossini
Theme mise en abyme and importance of laughter in light comic opera
Lyric culture apointments Wed, May 5, 2027
Representations from June 17 to 24, 2027
Encounter with the Orchestra or the Chorus Fri June 25, 2027 at 2pm
Performance in italian
Duration 2 h 30 with intermission, from 7 years old