Josiane’s Aria from the opera “The Man Who Laughs” – Downloadable PDF

Airat Ichmouratov
Josiane's Aria (mezzo soprano)
from the opera "The man Who Laughs"
Florence Bourget - mezzo soprano
libretto: Bertrand Laverdure
Festival Classica orchestra

Duchess Josiane has just learned that the object of her fascination, her monster, Gwynplaine, has become a peer of England. She also learns that her fiancé, Lord David, must lose his title of Lord to give it to Gwynplaine. All of the Duchess’s plans fall apart. She loses both her fiancé and her sentimental toy. Torn by bitterness, tortured by her unhealthy attachment to Gwynplaine, she expresses her disappointment.

The Man Who Laughs is a two-act opera with a prologue by Canadian composer Airat Ichmouratov, featuring a French libretto by poet Bertrand Laverdure, adapted from Victor Hugo’s eponymous novel. Commissioned by Festival Classica, it premiered in a concert version conducted by Airat Ichmouratov on May 31, 2023, in Montreal, Canada.