The Dallas Opera to Present Local Premiere Of Poulenc's DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES

The Dallas Opera will present the Dallas premiere of Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, opening on November 7, 2025, at the Winspear Opera House.

The opera tells the harrowing true story of the Martyrs of Compiègne, a convent of nuns executed during the French Revolution. More than two centuries later, their sacrifice continues to resonate, and in December 2024 Pope Francis canonized the Martyrs into sainthood.

“This is not just a French story—it’s universal,” said Original Director Olivier Py. “The nuns teach the world a lesson of dignity. It’s one of the most heartbreaking stories ever told with the most moving music ever.”

Soprano Joyce El-Khoury will lead the cast as Blanche, the young aristocrat who seeks refuge in the convent. Patricia Racette returns to Dallas Opera as Madame de Croissy, a role she has performed in seven productions. French mezzo-soprano Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Poulenc’s great-grand niece, will sing Mother Marie. Soprano Leah Hawkins makes her TDO debut as Madame Lidoine. Deanna Breiwick will portray Sister Constance, Gretchen Krupp sings Mother Jeanne, and Meridian Prall makes her TDO debut as Sister Mathilde. The men’s roles include Raymond Aceto as the Marquis de la Force, Martin Luther Clark as the Chevalier de la Force, Aaron-Casey Gould as the Chaplain, Andrew Potter as Thierry/Javelinot/Jailer, Samuel PJ Lopez as the First Commissioner, and Armon Golliday as the Second Commissioner/First Officer.

“I am incredibly proud of the powerhouse cast we have assembled for this stunning production by Olivier Py,” said TDO General Director and CEO Ian Derrer. “I am confident they will do justice to Poulenc’s galvanizing, poignant opera for its Dallas Opera premiere.”

Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume will conduct The Dallas Opera Orchestra and Chorus. This production, originally staged at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, will be led in Dallas by Revival Director Daniel Izzo, with sets and costumes by Pierre-André Weitz, lighting by Bertrand Killy, wigs and makeup by David Zimmerman, and choreography and staging carried forward under Py’s original vision.

Set during the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution, the opera follows Blanche, a fearful young aristocrat who seeks shelter in a Carmelite convent. The Mother Superior warns her that a cloister is not an escape from reality, and the sisters must ultimately choose between living in fear or dying together in faith. Poulenc’s 1957 drama, inspired by Georges Bernanos’ screenplay and Gertrud von Le Fort’s novella The Song at the Scaffold, transforms their sacrifice into a powerful meditation on courage and conviction.

Performance Dates

• Friday, November 7, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

• Sunday, November 9, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.