Wednesday, May 7, 2025 From 6:00 PM To 7:30 PM Add to Calendar 2025-05-07 18:00:00 2025-05-07 19:30:00 Contre-Temps: Behind the Curtain Join us at the French Library for an exclusive preview of Contre-Temps, the acclaimed French musical making its American premiere at the Huntington Theatre this May! The French Library, 53 Marlborough St, Boston, Massachusetts, United States America/New_York
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Get a rare glimpse into the creative world of Contre-Temps, a new French musical inspired by the whimsical and extraordinary life of François Courdot—a brilliant but long-forgotten French composer who dreamed of Broadway and created music that danced between operetta and American jazz.
This one-night-only event invites you behind the scenes of the production with performers Marion Préïté and Marion Rybaka, and pianist Julien Mouchel, who will share stories, insights, and a special medley of musical highlights from the show. Mouchel will bring Courdot’s musical world to life at the piano, illustrating how composers like Offenbach, Cole Porter, Bernstein, and Duke Ellington shaped Courdot’s genre-defying style.
The conversation will be moderated by Michael Wartofsky, professor at Berklee College of Music and an award-winning musical theater composer, who will guide this intimate exchange about the creative process and the legacy of a visionary artist nearly lost to time.
With Marion Rybaka, Marion Préïté, and Julien Mouchel
Musical Direction: Samuel Sené
How did a French operetta conductor end up in New York, hoping to become a Broadway composer?
This is the sensational story of François Courdot (1919–1968), a dazzling and unconventional composer, largely unknown to the public—until now.
Thanks to the meticulous research of biographer James McGraff and the rediscovery of rare archival scores, Contre-Temps brings Courdot’s vibrant life and singular music back to the stage.
A musical biopic unlike any other, Contre-Temps is a richly illustrated journey through 20th-century operetta and musical theater—blending historical arias, jazz, Broadway rhythms, and original compositions. Created by the award-winning team behind Comédiens! and performed by the Opaline Trio, this production celebrates a life of ambition, exile, reinvention, and the enduring power of music to cross borders.
Presented in French with English surtitles at the Huntington Theatre, Boston, May 9–11, 2025
This discussion at the French Library is co-organized with The French Theater Project
Our author’s talk will be followed by a Q&A session and a glass of wine.
In-person event in French and English.
Watch the Trailer
Meet the Artists
Marion Rybaka – Performer & Artistic Director of Trio OpalineA lyric soprano and pianist, Marion Rybaka trained at the Conservatoire d’Aix-en-Provence before transitioning from classical music to musical theatre. She has performed in Véronique (André Messager), Les Misérables in concert (Shanghai, Brussels), and toured with the vocal trio Swing Cockt’Elles. She is the Artistic Director of Trio Opaline and was nominated for Female Artist Revelation at the 2022 Trophées de la Comédie Musicale for her role in Contre-Temps. She currently plays the Fairy Godmother in Mickey and the Magician at Disneyland Paris.
Marion Préïté – PerformerOriginally a Chinese-English translator, Marion Préïté transitioned to theater after training with Compagnie Maritime in Montpellier. She made her musical debut in Next Thing You Know in Paris, later starring in Les Aventures de Tom Sawyer, le Musical (Théâtre Mogador) and Fan de Chichoune. She won the Trophée de la Comédie Musicale for Female Revelation in Comédiens! and was later nominated for Best Female Performer for Contre-Temps. In 2024, she joined Come From Away in Brussels and is set to appear in Company at Théâtre du Châtelet in 2025.
Julien Mouchel – PianistJulien Mouchel is a versatile pianist known for his expressive performance style and deep understanding of genre-blending in music. As the pianist for Contre-Temps, he brings Courdot’s unique blend of operetta, jazz, and Broadway to life. During this event, Mouchel will use the piano to demonstrate the diverse musical influences that shaped Courdot’s career—from classical traditions to the vibrant rhythms of American musicals.
About the moderator
Michael Wartofsky is a professor in the Songwriting Department at Berklee College of Music, where he established the musical theater writing minor and cofounded the Curtain Up student songwriting contest. He received Berklee’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2018. His musical All the Possibilities features Broadway stars performing his original songs. Wartofsky has composed several musicals including Car Talk: The Musical!!!, Cupcake, and The Man in My Head, and is the music composer for the upcoming musical LATE, responding to the epidemic of school shootings.
Our partner
Performance Details at the Huntington Theatre:Friday, May 09 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 10 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 11 at 2:00pm
Tickets can be purchased at: Boston Theatre Scene
Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue
Performed in French with English captions in both French and English.
Interested in French theater? Why not try out the Library's theater club
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