Pierre Perrault

Pierre Wesselrin is a 40-year-old American who lives in Paris by sponging off his working friends and various wealthy acquaintances. He receives a telegram saying that a rich aunt has died, so he throws a party, using borrowed money of course, and invites all his friends. After discovering that his aunt disinherited him, his luggage is impounded and he is thrown out of his apartment. All his friends are now away for the summer, or are working outside Paris, so he is forced to wander the streets and become a clochard.

La cenerentola (“Cinderella”) is one of Rossini’s longest comedies, nearly three hours. For any readers who are not familiar with this opera, let me briefly tell you that it bears little resemblance to Perrault’s famous fairy tale. There is no fairy godmother, no pumpkin coach with mice turned into horses, no glass slipper, and no ball at the Prince’s with a midnight curfew. What’s left is a sweet girl, mistreated by her stepfather and vain stepsisters, and a prince in search of a wife…
FANFARE: David L. Kirk

Figure satanique, compagnon de tuerie de la Pucelle d'Orléans, serial killer, " premier Vendéen ", Gilles de Rais (1405-1440) a fait le délice de nombreux conteurs et biographes. Un personnage à la mesure de cette époque brutale et chaotique ou l'angélisme côtoie la barbarie. Cette biographie raconte les multiples vies du seigneur de Rais. …