// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Louis Erlo? Erlo who?
Louis Erlo | |
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.jpg) Erlo, in the 1970s | |
| Born | Louis Jean Marie Camerlo 26 April 1929 Lyon, France |
| Died | October 2026 (aged 97) Olmeto, Corsica, France |
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Louis Jean Marie Camerlo (French: [lwi ʒɑ̃ maʁi kamɛʁlo]; 26 April 1929 – October 2026), professionally known as Louis Erlo, was a French stage director and theatre manager. He was director of the Opéra de Lyon from 1969 to 1995, developing it to a leading opera house of Europe. As director of the Aix-en-Provence Festival from 1982 to 1996, he was instrumental in the revival of French Baroque opera.
Life and career
[edit]Born Louis Jean Marie Camerlo in Lyon on 26 April 1929,[1] he trained in electrical engineering at the Lycée de la Martinière.[2][3] His uncle, Paul Camerlo, helped him to a position as stage director at the Opéra de Lyon. He was director of the opera house from 1969 to 1995,[2][3] where he taught numerous young talents, such as baritone Jean-Philippe Lafont.[4] His era would be named Opéra Nouveau, with innovations such as repertoire including neglected Baroque operas and a focus on stage action. In 1980 Jean-Pierre Brossmann became co-director. Erlo and conductor Serge Baudo presented then Les Troyens by Berlioz as part of a Berlioz Festival that attracted visitors from Paris, beginning a transformation the Opéra de Lyon to a major European stage. The orchestra was enlarged and a workshop for singers was installed.[2] The house produced around 80 recordings of operas during his time there. He staged several productions himself, such as Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges.[3]
Erlo was also director of the studio of the Paris Opera from 1973 to 1979, while Rolf Liebermann directed the opera.[3] In 1983, he was on the jury to select the architect for the planned Opéra Bastille.[1]
Erlo was director of the Aix-en-Provence Festival from 1982 to 1996.[1][5] When he took up the office, he said in interview that he had "discovered" the festival in 1952, and that it should "remain the cradle of operatic innovation".[5] In his first season, the festival gave the scenic world premiere of Rameau's last opera, Les Boréades, with John Eliot Gardiner conducting the English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir; Jean-Louis Martinoty was the director, and Catherine Turocy provided the essential dance with her New York Baroque Dance Company. Key productions during his time with the festival were also Rameau's Hippolyte et Aricie in 1983 with Jessye Norman as Phèdre, Purcell's The Fairy-Queen in 1989, conducted by William Christie and directed by Adrian Noble, and Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1991, staged by Robert Carsen.[5] In retirement, he lived in Olmeto, Corsica, for several years.[3]
Erlo died in Olmeto on 2 October 2026,[6] at the age of 97.[1][2][5][7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Franck, Rémy (5 October 2026). "Louis Erlo died at the age of 97". Pizzicato. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Hernandez, Luc (4 October 2026). "Louis Erlo, l'homme qui fit de l'Opéra de Lyon "l'opéra nouveau"". Tribune de Lyon (in French). Retrieved 5 October 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Louis Erlo, qui métamorphosa l'Opéra de Lyon, est mort à 97 ans". passagelyonnais (in French). 6 October 2026. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
- ↑ Bachelot, Roselyne (19 October 2015). "Jean-Philippe Lafont, une vie en musique". forumopera.com (interview) (in French). Retrieved 5 October 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Hommage á Louis Erlo (1929-2026)". Aix-en-Provence Festival (in French). 5 October 2026. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
- ↑ "Faire-part de décès". Simplifia. 5 October 2026. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
- ↑ "Mort de Louis Erlo". Forumopera.com (in French). 4 October 2026. Retrieved 5 October 2026.
External links
[edit]- Louis Erlo at IMDb
