Hypnotic, philosophical, poetic chamber opera
Four singers, an actor, and three pianos. That’s all it takes to tell a gripping story about the driving, transcendent, and sometimes destructive power of imagination. In Les Enfants Terribles, Gérard tells the story of his friends, brother Paul and sister Lise, who live in their own fantasy world. Parentless and dependent on each other, they spend their days in their room, playing “the game.” What began as a childish fantasy grows into a web that entangles everyone.

Once you’ve stepped onto the carousel, you must finish the ride.
Philip Glass’s chamber opera Les Enfants Terribles is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by French poet, writer, and filmmaker Jean Cocteau. Glass is known for his repetitive, minimal music. In Les Enfants Terribles, this music immediately evokes powerful images. The music is, in the words of director Béatrice Lachaussée, “enchanting, fascinating, hypnotic, sometimes joyful and sometimes oppressive. The music describes life, which goes on and on, with ups and downs. There’s no escape: once you’ve stepped onto the carousel, you have to finish the ride…”

Talent from the Dutch National Opera Studio
Enter the hypnotic world of Les Enfants Terribles, where fantasy and reality are indistinguishable. The opera is performed by young talent from the Dutch National Opera Studio, the talent development program of Opera Zuid, the Dutch National Opera, and the Dutch National Touring Opera.

The performance lasts 95 minutes and is sung in French, with Dutch and English surtitles.

Source : PLT Website