La Perricholi – in reality, Micaela Villegas – was Lima’s leading theatrical lady in the 1770s when Peru was a Spanish colony. Her life was fictionalised in a one-act play by Prosper Mérimée and a libretto was fashioned on which Offenbach created his opéra bouffe La Périchole, reflecting the creative mania in Paris at the time for Spanish life and art. La Périchole and Piquillo, her lover and companion in misfortune, are impoverished street singers. Meanwhile the Viceroy Don Andrès de Ribeira wishes to make her his lover. In music of vivacious rhythms including boleros, seguidillas and rich arias, Offenbach plays out their love against a broader social canvas.

Conductor Julien Leroy was described by Pierre Boulez as having ‘a strong musicianship and a precise technique, [Julien Leroy] clearly expresses the music he wants to hear and promotes all repertoires with similar standards.’

Mezzo Stéphanie d’Oustrac is the great-grand-niece of Francis Poulenc. In 2010 she won Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice for her Haydn recording. In La clemenza da Tito (Barcelona, Liceu Theatre) Archyde wrote ‘If it were an election campaign, the president of the function would be the French mezzo-soprano Stéphanie d’Oustrac by absolute majority. She received the loudest ovation after embroidering a simply perfect Sesto.’

Phillipe Talbot sang live performances of La Périchole in Dijon in December 2022–January 2023. He also sang in Meyerbeer’s Dinorah at the Berlin Philharmonie. Bachtrack wrote, ‘He possesses a pleasant, light voice…’

Greek baritone Tassis Christoyannis made his Royal Opera debut in 2016 as Giorgio Germont (La traviata). He has written the music for the musicals Christmas Story, Once Upon a Time There Was a Young Prince, the ballets On the Road, Labyrinth, and the song cycles E.E. Cummings, Thomas Moore, which have been presented in Greece and elsewhere. He received the Prix de l’Academie Charles Cros (Best French songs interpreter, category: opera).

Cast:
- La Périchole: Stéphanie d’Oustrac (mezzo-soprano)
- Piquillo: Philippe Talbot (tenor)
- Don Andrès de Ribeira: Tassis Christoyannis (baritone)
- Don Miguel de Panatellas: Éric Huchet (tenor)
- Don Pedro de Hinoyosa: Lionel Peintre (baritone)|

Stage director: Valérie Lesort
Set designer: Audrey Vuong
Costume designer: Vanessa Sannino
Lighting designer: Christian Pinaud
Choreographer: Yohann Têté
Puppets: Carole Allemand