#samueljean
Interview Opéra Magazine
Le Messie du peuple chauve d'Éric Breton
Opéra Grand Avignon - novembre 2020
Conducted by Samuel Jean, the Orchestre National Avignon-Provence is absolutely impeccable throughout the performance; it goes crescendo-decrescendo in repetitive sequences to the minimalist echoes of Phil Glass or John Adams, this time.
Irma Foletti, Anaclase
The score runs through the sound spectrum from the solo line to the delicate timbre to immense swallowing masses, passing by the rich influences of exoticism or cabaret. The conductor Samuel Jean directs the Orchestre National Avignon-Provence in all this richness, with a direction both very ample and very precise.
Olyrix
(…) the obligation of distancing, forcing the musicians to space themselves from each other, makes here the most delicate task of the chief, the woods and the percussions being rejected out of the pit side garden for some, side court for others.
Playing together, on the occasion of a creation, musicians who do not get along, is a perilous thing, but Samuel Jean, takes up the challenge: the outfits of the strings sound good, the woods are voluble, and the percussion measure their effects. There is, in the direction of the French leader, a general movement that makes the Messiah of the Bald People a noble lamentation.
Christian Wasselin, Opéra Magazine
La Périchole d'Offenbach
Opéra Grand Avignon - novembre 2019
In perfect osmosis with the subtle and poetic direction of Samuel Jean at the head of the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, which gives to hear gravity and melancholy behind the facade amusement, Éric Chevalier’s staging takes advantage of a simple but effective device, adjusted as meticulously as the precision mechanism that is the libretto of this food opera.
Fabrice Malkani, Forum Opéra
«It is the same for the magnificent direction of Samuel Jean drawing from the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence all the orchestral genius that Puccini has put into the timeless score.»
Classiquenews, Benito Pelegrin
Finally, as usual, the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence and the Chorus of the Opéra Grand Avignon are of an excellent level, and the First guest conductor of the Provençal phalanx, Samuel Jean, who knows his Offenbach well, leads them with enthusiasm and dynamism.
Opera-online, Emmanuel Andrieu
In the pit, Samuel Jean does not fear here, and in a beautiful way, to affirm his taste for a repertoire less light than it seems. He defends it with conviction and competence. He lets the rhythm and melody flourish, carefully supports the singers and conducts a convincing Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence with fervour and balance.
Christian Colombeau, Arts Spectacles.com
La Bohème de Puccini
Opéra Grand Avignon - janvier 2019
« In the pit, the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence confirms the progress made in recent seasons under the leadership of Samuel Jean, its Principal Guest Conductor. The latter banishes all sentimentality from his reading, without sacrificing the velvet and sensuality inherent in the score. Passion, drunkenness and pathos are there when needed, but without anything syrupy, trivial or banal melodramatic. »
Richard Martet, Opéra Magazine, mars 2019
« The same is true of Samuel Jean's magnificent conducting, drawing from the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence all the orchestral genius that Puccini put into the timeless score. »
Jean-Luc Clairet, Resmusica , janvier 2019
« Puccini's music remains intact, however, and Roberto Venturi's lights accompany the atmospheres created by the musicians of the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence. If it is at first very present, with horns lagging behind and small shifts in the most difficult moments, the orchestra always shows rich colours, especially during the sublime Act IV, under the supple and involved direction of Samuel Jean. »
Emmanuel Deroeux, Olyrix, janvier 2019
« In the pit, the principal conductor of the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, Samuel Jean, holds his phalanx (and his stage) with a dynamism that forces admiration. With as much precision as rigour, he watches over the general architecture of the work, while respecting the particular sound colour of each act. »
Emmanuel Andrieu, opera-online, janvier 2019
« Conductor Samuel Jean's leadership is a success, by his intentions, his choice of nuances and tempi. The music is well present, of a certain volume but avoiding - with a few exceptions - to cover the singers. Some lecterns flatter the ear more than others, such as the superb solo violin or the very beautiful passages of the xylophone. »
Irma Foletti, Anaclase, janvier 2019
« Fortunately, Samuel Jean's direction favours the elegance of the phrasing, the lunar poetry of the melody, the elegiac abandonment of the sensuality on the skin of the expressed loves. It never leaves the tragic aspect of the score in the shade, sometimes covering the voices, so much so that the conductor shows himself very concerned about the erotic outpourings of the protagonists. To finish, let us proclaim loud and clear: Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, Choir and Master of the Opera Grand Avignon as always impeccable ! »
Christian Colombeau, Arts&Spectacles, janvier 2019
« With the baton, Samuel Jean once again draws the best from the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, who is decidedly at ease in all registers. If the bright brass instruments sometimes cover the voices a little, the playing is nuanced, in turn intimate, poetic, enthusiastic and gives us this magnificent and eternal score by Puccini. »
Jean Louis Blanc, Lebruitduuofftribune, janvier 2019
« Puccini's music, transmitted by the Orchestre Régional d'Avignon Provence under the direction of Samuel Jean, touches our hearts, moves us and brings tears to our eyes, perfectly served by this fabulous cast ! »
Jacques Jarmasson, LeProjecteurTV.com, janvier 2019
La Traviata de Verdi
Opéra Grand Avignon - juin 2018
« The balanced and precise direction of Samuel Jean, at the head of an exemplary Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence and a Chœur de l'Opéra Grand Avignon of great homogeneity, infuses the score with all the theatricality desired... »
Alfred Caron, Opéra Magazine, septembre 2018
«Musical director of the Provençal phalanx, Samuel Jean leads the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence in a passionate impulse, with sometimes surprisingly fast tempi, as in the end of the duet between Violetta and Germont, as well as during the painting at Flora's. By making the timbres ring out in this way, he restores the orchestra's driving role. »
Emmanuel Andrieu, Opera-online, juin 2018
« Another great festive body is that of conductor Samuel Jean, who takes under the wings of his arms a phalanx from Avignon (l'Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence) with palpable energy and direct sound. »
Florence Lethurgez, Olyrix, juin 2018
« At the lectern of a concentrated Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, Samuel Jean conducts in a frank and serious way, without debauchery of variations in contrasts or colours, privileging the progress of the drama. »
Irma Foletti, Anaclase, juin 2018
« The baton was entrusted to Samuel Jean, permanent conductor of the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, who knew how to find the colours and sound balance in the so-called ephemeral room of the Grand Avignon. »
Jacques Jarmasson, le ProjecteurTV, juin 2018
L'Élixir d'amour de Donizetti
Opéra de Tours - Mars 2018
« At the head of a well-behaved Orchestre Symphonique Région Centre-Val de Loire and the Chœur de l'Opéra de Tours, obviously delighted with the adventure, the excellent Samuel Jean conducts a solid stage, giving the evening an irresistible rhythm.. »
Thierry Guyenne, Opéra Magazine, Avril 2018
« The Orchestre Symphonique Région Centre-Val de Loire/Tours is in the best form as well. Under the direction of Samuel Jean, the woodwinds often stand out, and the melancholic colour stands out more with the choice of tempi sometimes slowed down. Donizetti stands out for his incredible gift of sincere feelings and sensations in the very texture of the music. The musical characterization is incredible and of a confounding naturalness. »
Sabina Pena Arcia, classiquenews, mars 2018
« Throughout the performance, the beautiful musical direction of Maestro Samuel Jean invites the Orchestre Symphonique Région Centre-Val de Loire/Tours to pay particular attention to vocal beauty, tempi, sound volumes and synchronisation. A knowledge of the bel canto repertoire greeted at the end of the show by deserved applause.. »
Henri Runey, Olyrix, mars 2018
Dialogues des Carmélites de Poulenc
Opéra Grand Avignon - janvier 2018
« Samuel Jean imposes a powerful, solidly structured reading, with fairly fast tempi that constantly moves the action forward. As for the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, stimulated by the baton of its First Guest Conductor, it is a pleasure to hear, especially when compared with the previous production of Poulenc's masterpiece in Avignon in 2011. The formation, which was going through a dark period in its history at the time, was cruelly lacking in cohesion and instrumental finish. These worries are now a thing of the past, and we are delighted with the richness of the sounds and the precision of the attacks deployed in these Dialogues.. »
Richard Martet, Opéra Magazine, mars 2018
« On the musical side, the first congratulations go to conductor Samuel Jean and the musicians of the Orchestre régional Avignon-Provence who offer an exciting and constant orchestral narrative thread throughout the three-hour performance. Sobriety is the key word, but the different colours and energies are subtly brought to life without any clatter or superfluous effects.. »
Sébastien Herbecq, Bachtrack, février 2018
« The Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence, spearhead of the Avignon Opera, confirms its versatility in this lyrical and symphonic season with an eclectic programme. The same goes for the Opera Choir, always excellent. After an "Orpheus" of baroque inspiration and two remarkable symphonic concerts recently devoted to Beethoven, the orchestra, under the baton of Samuel Jean, masterfully approaches the music of Francis Poulenc, which calls upon all the colours of the orchestra and demands the greatest precision. This direct music evokes with clarity and limpidity the palette of the multiple human feelings present in the opera, complex and nuanced feelings ranging from lightness and small daily worries to the highest spirituality, including fear, doubt, courage, faith and supreme devotion. »
Jean-Louis Blanc, le Bruitduofftribune, février 2018
« The musical direction of Samuel Jean at the head of the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence and the Chorus of the Opera Grand Avignon is precise, clear, in a French tradition, attentive to the colours of the city and its people. »
Benito Pellegrin, Classiquenews, Février 2018
« At the head of the Avignon-Provence Regional Choir and Orchestra, Samuel Jean gives body to Francis Poulenc's music with strong conviction. Apart from a few strong moments for this temporary Confluence Opera House and a slightly slowed down tempo in the first part, his direction proves to be very convincing over the duration and especially in phase with the proposed stage design. »
José Pons, Olyrix, janvier 2018
« Samuel Jean's masterful direction never loses the thread of the narrative despite relatively slow and meaningful tempos that give a sense of inner fire and humanity. »
Michel Le Naour, Concertclassic, février 2018
« Finally, placed at the head of the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence which sounds clear and frank, Samuel Jean avoids the overload of intention or lyricism, even if it means disappointing those who are not afraid of Francis Poulenc's profoundly romantic melodism... »
Emmanuel Andrieu, Opera-Online, février 2018
« This fervour, this élan, this unique spirituality in French music, can also be found in the pit. Samuel Jean makes the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence sound (in the good sense of the word) dry, druff, harsh and infuses his Poulenc with a rare energy."
Christian Colombeau, Arts&Spectacles, janvier 2018