Olivier Cohen

Stage director

After studying modern literature (including the “Khâgne” preparatory class at Lycée Condorcet and a DEA advanced postgraduate degree at Paris X focusing on late 17th-century dramaturgy) and working as a literature teacher (at the high school, preparatory class, and university levels, including Paris VIII), Olivier Cohen chose to dedicate himself to writing and directing, particularly for projects involving the spoken word or music, and aimed at young audiences.

As a writer, he has twice received creative grants from the Ministry of Culture and the Beaumarchais Foundation. As an audio producer, his recorded works have won numerous awards, including 20 distinctions from the Académie Charles Cros among them a “Grand Prix”. He has directed around fifty stage productions.

Most of his texts are dramatic poems or musical narratives for which he directs both the stage production and the recording Un visage for solo voice and electroacoustic ensemble, performed by Denis Lavant, and Pour quelques âmes volées (an UNESCO-awarded work), a monologue for an actress-singer and orchestra that was both premiered and recorded on France Musique by the Radio France Philharmonic... “Les notes bleues”, a jazz tale performed by Robin Renucci and Philippe Canales, presented at the Dreux theater, the Sunside club, and subsequently at national stages in Beauvais and Arras. “L’Homme à l’Orchestre”, read by Jean-Pierre Cassel, Daniel Znyck, or Jean-Claude Dreyfus, was performed at the Théâtre National de Strasbourg, the Aix theater, the Pestacles festival in Vincennes, etc., and revived by L'Ensemble Orchestral de Paris during an author residency. “Zéphyr” was performed at the Châtelet. “Silence!”, a narrative spoken by Karin Viard set to music by André Serre-Milan, was performed and broadcast on France Musique with the participation of the Philharmonic Orchestra. “Un Carnaval des Animaux”, read by Jeanne Balibar, was presented at the Scène Nationale in Arras, This new text having become the official version of the apocryphal work by Saint-Saëns. “La fille au visage de pierre”, a narrative for voice and children’s choir premiered at Val Maubuée, was performed again in several towns in the Île-de-France region, including Joinville and Maisons-Alfort... “La Guerre des Voyelles et des Consonnes” music by Vincent Bouchot premiered at La Maison de Musique de Nanterre, saw a new production at the Opéra Comique. “Trois sons”, performed by the Pasdeloup Orchestra and Jacques Gamblin at the Théâtre du Châtelet. “L’enfant qui ne parlait pas” with music by Benoit Menut, premiered by the Tana Quartet and actress Elissa Alloula was performed at the Versus festival in Lille. “Les pommes de Misère” was presented at the Couleurs Contes festival in Strasbourg, featuring music by Fabien Cali performed by Le Parlement de Musique. In Switzerland (at the Lausanne and Geneva conservatories and Radio Fribourg), he created several productions with composer Hadrien Bonardo, including “À perdre la voix!”, “La rivière qui disparaît”, and “Plutôt que le silence”.

Opera Direction:

In 2022, he directed two Mozart operas: The Marriage of Figaro (L’Orne Festival Argentan, Carrouges) and Don Giovanni at the Scènes Nationales in Guadeloupe and Martinique (a recording of which was broadcast on Culturebox).

He also directed Bernstein’s Mass at the MAC in Créteil in 2023 and Weber’s Der Freischütz at various venues in the Berry region.

Upcoming projects include directing a series of Creole tales at the Scène Nationale de Guadeloupe featuring opera singers Cécile Achille and Jean-Loup Pagesy, with music by André Serre-Milan.

 

Video clips