Le Château des Carpathes (opera)

Le Château des Carpathes (The Carpathian Castle) is an opera in three acts composed by Marius Constant to a libretto by Michel Foucault (not the philosopher of the same name). It is based on the 1892 novel of the same name by Jules Verne.

The opera was commissioned by the French national broadcasting organization, Radio France, and premiered on December 14, 1981, at the Opéra Comique in Paris. The premiere production was directed by Jean-Louis Barrault.

The story follows Baron Rodolphe de Gortz, who is devastated by the death of his beloved opera singer, La Stilla. He believes he sees her image and hears her voice emanating from a mysterious castle in the Carpathian Mountains, leading him to investigate.

The opera blends elements of romantic opera with science fiction, reflecting the themes present in Verne's original novel. It features a score that is both lyrical and dramatic, often employing modern orchestral techniques. While not a staple of the operatic repertoire, Le Château des Carpathes remains a notable example of 20th-century French opera and a testament to the enduring popularity of Jules Verne's works.