Once again Nicolas Joel has opted for big name singers rather than innovative repertoire or directors as the Opéra National de Paris reveal their 2011-12 season. His approach is epitomised by Rossini's La cenerentola - not a new production, not even a much-loved revival, but an hommage to its original director, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, who died over 20 years ago.
The pick of the bunch, although it's a revival, is probably Tannhauser (Robert Carsen, Mark Elder, cast: Christof Fischesser, Christopher Ventris, Nina Stemme, Stéphane Degout, Sophie Koch) - from 6 October.
La Forza del destino offers the chance to catch a comparative rarity with as good a cast as you can reasonably expect and a new production (Jean-Claude Auvrey, Philippe Jordan, cast: Violeta Urmana, Marcelo Alvarez, Nadia Krasteva, Kwangchul Youn) - from 14 November.
Rameau's first opera Hyppolyte et Aricie is the sort of thing Paris ought to do well despite a not very French cast. Emmanuelle Haïm brings her own ensemble, Le Concert d'Astrée, after walking out on the opera orchestra last time she was booked. The production comes from Toulouse. (Ivan Alexandre, Emmanuelle Haïm, cast: Sarah Connolly, Anne-Catherine Gillet, Topi Lehtipuu, Stéphane Degout) - from 9 June.
The main selling point of the new production of Arabella is Renée Fleming - also rumoured to be playing the role at Covent Garden some time soon. (Marco Arturo Marelli, Philippe Jordan, cast: Renée Fleming, Kurt Rydl, Michael Volle, Joseph Kaiser, Genia Kühmeier) - from 14 June.
