Castellucci╳Huppert: A Breathless Symphony of Stark Beauty

Au final, signe d’un trouble qui fracture la personnalité, on ne s’étonne pas que le nom de Bérénice disparaisse bientôt du texte de Racine pour être remplacé par le prénom, Isabelle. Une sublimation de sa condition qui autorise la folie de ne faire plus qu’un entre le désespoir du personnage et la puissance de celle qui l’interprète. Un tour de force d’émotions. Du grand art.Les Inrockuptibles

Diamant noir de cette proposition à la beauté énigmatique, Isabelle Huppert impressionne en reine de théâtre abandonnée et incandescente.La Terrasse

Internationally acclaimed theater master Romeo Castellucci draws upon Jean Racine’s 17th-century tragedy Bérénice to create a work of profound philosophical and visual lyricism. At the heart of this production stands French screen legend Isabelle Huppert in the tittle role.

The story traces a love triangle between Bérénice, Queen of Palestine; Titus, Emperor of Rome; and Antiochus, Titus’s close friend. Though Bérénice and Titus are bound by deep love, political obligation and public will force them apart. Meanwhile, Antiochus, unable to bear his unrequited love for Bérénice, chooses death as his only escape.

With his signature aesthetic of austere minimalism, Castellucci pares back dialogue and strips away all excess.In the first act, the clash between power and desire plays out on a vast, barren stage, with Titus suspended in torment between empire and love.In the second act, Bérénice drifts in aching solitude, as if sealed within a wall of time, her sorrow rendered through flickering images and barely perceptible gestures.The third act descends into Antiochus’s silent grief and his withdrawal into death, the only escape from a love forever unreturned.

The entire production is threaded through with music, sound, and deliberately distorted monologues, confronting the psychological tension and inner conflict Bérénice endures within the love triangle.The audience is not merely observing, but drawn into a contemplative space—one suffused with the weight and strain of heartbreak too deep to be spoken.

©Alex Majoli

©Alex Majoli

Concept and Direction / Romeo Castellucci
A renowned Italian director celebrated for his visionary and symbolic theater, Romeo Castellucci is a multifaceted creator whose work spans acting, writing, visual art, costume and lighting design, and sound engineering. Often hailed as a theatrical magician or even a “dark” artist, he draws inspiration from classical art and literature, crafting productions marked by bold personal aesthetic and powerful symbolism. His distinctive style has made him a highly sought-after figure at major international arts festivals. In 2018 and 2023, Castellucci brought Democracy in America and Bros to the National Taichung Theater, both of which received widespread acclaim and enthusiastic praise.

Lead Actress / Isabelle Huppert
A legendary icon of French cinema, Isabelle Huppert has appeared in over 100 films since 1971, including 20 entries in the Cannes Film Festival’s main competition. She has received a record 16 César Award nominations, winning Best Actress twice, alongside two Best Actress awards at Cannes, two European Film Awards for Best Actress, the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. Her notable films include Elle, L'Avenir, 8 femmes, and La Pianiste. In 2023, she performed in La Cerisaie, a collaboration between the Avignon Festival and director Tiago Rodrigues, at the National Taichung Theater.

Bérénice
By Romeo Castellucci
freely inspired by "Berenice" by Jean Racine

Concept and direction／Romeo Castellucci
Lead / Isabelle Huppert, Cheikh Kébé, Giovanni Manzo
Original music／Scott Gibbons
Costumes ／Iris Van Herpen

Direction assistant／ Silvano Voltolina
Technical direction／ Eugenio Resta
Stage technician／Andrei Benchea, Stefano Valandro
Light technician ／Andrea Sanson
Sound technician／Claudio Tortorici
Costumes／Chiara Venturini
Hair styling and make up ideation／Sylvie Cailler, Jocelyne Milazzo

Stage sculptures and automations／ Plastikart Studio Amoroso & Zimmermann

Production direction／Benedetta Briglia, Marko Rankov
Production and tour／Giulia Colla
Organization／Bruno Jacob, Leslie Perrin, Caterina Soranzo
Contribution to production／Gilda Biasini
Technical headquarter team／Lorenzo Camera, Carmen Castellucci, Francesca Di Serio, Gionni Gardini
Costume intern／Madeleine Tessier
Movement double／Serena Dibiase
Lines repeater／Agathe Vidal
Administration／Michela Medri, Elisa Bruno, Simona Barducci
Economic consultant／Massimiliano Coli

Executive Producers
Societas, Cesena; Printemps des Comédiens / Cité du Théâtre Domaine d’O, Montpellierine d’O, Montpellier

Co-producers
Théâtre de La Ville Paris - France; Comédie de Genève, Switzerland; Ruhrtriennale, Germany; Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg; deSingel International Arts Center, Belgium; Festival Temporada Alta, Spain; Teatro di Napoli – Teatro Nazionale, Italy; Onassis Culture - Athens, Greece; Triennale Milano, Italy; National Taichung Theater, Taiwan; Holland Festival, Netherlands; LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, Switzerland; TAP - Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers, France; La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand – Scène Nationale, France; Théâtre national de Bretagne – Rennes, France.

With the support of Fondation d’entreprise Hermès

With the support of ATER Fondazione