200 Motels - The Suites

Transposition for the stage of 200 Motels, a hallucinatory film by Frank Zappa recording the life of a rock band on tour, 200 Motels - The Suites is an impressive musical/theatrical fresco, premiered in France.

At the beginning of the 70’s, inspired by the real life experiences of his band, The Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa directed – in tandem with Tony Palmer – 200 Motels, a loony “documentary”. With a tumultuous score, oscillating between psychedelic rushes and symphonic flights, this jewel of surreal cinema is reborn on stage with the title 200 Motels – The Suites. This original French version brings together actors, singers, a rock band (The Headshakers), the Percussions de Strasbourg, the choral ensemble Les Métaboles and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg. Léo Warynski is the music director and Antoine Gindt the stage director. A totally over-the-top project, well matched to Zappa’s outrageousness.

Coproduction : T&M, Festival Musica Strasbourg, Théâtre de Nîmes, Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg, Les Métaboles, Philharmonie de Strasbourg, Philharmonie de Paris.

200 Motels - The Suites

Frank Zappa

Les Métaboles (20 singers)
Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
Les Percussions de Strasbourg
The Headshakers

Lionel Peintre, narrator, Cowboy Burt
Dominic Gould, Frank, Larry the Dward, Jeff
Zachary Wilder, Mark
Nicholas Scott, Howard
Mélanie Boisvert, the Soprano solo
Nicholas Isherwood, Rance, Ginger
Aliénor Feix, Lucy, Dononvan
Marina Ruiz, Janet, la journaliste

Antoine Gindt, stage direction
Léo Warynski, musical direction

 

Dans la presse...

Le chef « en a dans la baguette »

Resmusica - Jean-Pierre Sicard
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

Le chef « en a dans la baguette »

Resmusica - Jean-Pierre Sicard - 200 Motels de Zappa

Léo Warynski à la direction, Antoine Gindt à la mise en scène et Philippe Béziat à la vidéo, maîtrisent avec brio la complexité et l’humour de cette oeuvre parfois provocante, souvent drôle et riche de trouvailles musicales dans ses différents styles.
Léo Warynski reste imperturbable. Mais, pour rester dans le ton de Zappa, le chef « en a dans la baguette » : il assure la dynamique, préserve les changements d’atmosphère, pilote la complexité rythmique et articule toutes ces composantes, comme si l’ambiance déjantée qui domine sur scène évoluait en toute liberté.

A beautiful vocal and scenic commitment

Concertclassic.com - Jean-Guillaume Lebrun
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

A beautiful vocal and scenic commitment

Concertclassic.com - Jean-Guillaume Lebrun - 200 Motels de Zappa

Precise and energetic, the direction of Leo Waryniski creates a beautiful balance between the orchestra and the other musicians (...) young singers Aliénor Feix (mezzo) and marina Ruiz (soprano) also show a beautiful vocal and scenic commitment - and we could to say the same of the vocal ensemble Les Métaboles.

A beautiful vocal and scenic commitment

Concertclassic.com - Jean-Guillaume Lebrun
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

A beautiful vocal and scenic commitment

Concertclassic.com - Jean-Guillaume Lebrun - 200 Motels de Zappa

Precise and energetic, the direction of Leo Waryniski creates a beautiful balance between the orchestra and the other musicians (...) young singers Aliénor Feix (mezzo) and marina Ruiz (soprano) also show a beautiful vocal and scenic commitment - and we could to say the same of the vocal ensemble Les Métaboles.

Impeccable vocal performance

Olyrix - Cécile Côte
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

Impeccable vocal performance

Olyrix - Cécile Côte - 200 Motels de Zappa

The work, a skilful blend of contemporary classical music and pop-rock, is masterfully performed by the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Les Percussions de Strasbours, The HeadShakers, and the Les Métaboles under the effective direction of Léo Warynski (...) Les Métaboles plays the audience part of the show, feverishly hanging on their mobile phone to film or make selfies. Their impeccable vocal performance shows only a few inaccuracies on the rhythms struck.

Impeccable vocal performance

Olyrix - Cécile Côte
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

Impeccable vocal performance

Olyrix - Cécile Côte - 200 Motels de Zappa

The work, a skilful blend of contemporary classical music and pop-rock, is masterfully performed by the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Les Percussions de Strasbours, The HeadShakers, and the Les Métaboles under the effective direction of Léo Warynski (...) Les Métaboles plays the audience part of the show, feverishly hanging on their mobile phone to film or make selfies. Their impeccable vocal performance shows only a few inaccuracies on the rhythms struck.

The singers are exemplary

Libération - Guillaume Tion
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

The singers are exemplary

Libération - Guillaume Tion - 200 Motels de Zappa

The singers, then, who have been preparing for a few months for these particular roles, with often outrageous texts, prove to be exemplary. Their vocal quality is not surprising: they come from the lyric and master the score without difficulty - they are even mostly underused, the work is not cut to hike in the voices against or forests intervals heroic. But they seduce by the commitment that they put not only to give body to their characters, but also to stir up the spirit of the work.

The singers are exemplary

Libération - Guillaume Tion
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

The singers are exemplary

Libération - Guillaume Tion - 200 Motels de Zappa

The singers, then, who have been preparing for a few months for these particular roles, with often outrageous texts, prove to be exemplary. Their vocal quality is not surprising: they come from the lyric and master the score without difficulty - they are even mostly underused, the work is not cut to hike in the voices against or forests intervals heroic. But they seduce by the commitment that they put not only to give body to their characters, but also to stir up the spirit of the work.

This new version of 200 motels is a great success

Muzik.fr - Frédéric Goaty
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

This new version of 200 motels is a great success

Muzik.fr - Frédéric Goaty - 200 Motels de Zappa

From the first bewitching chords, the magic operates and the irresistible power of seduction of the great Zappa music, which so naturally oscillates between the learned and the popular, stimulates our imagination. (...) Let's say it all: this new version of 200 motels directed by Antoine Gindt (musical direction Léo Warynski, video production Philippe Béziat) is a great success.

This new version of 200 motels is a great success

Muzik.fr - Frédéric Goaty
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

This new version of 200 motels is a great success

Muzik.fr - Frédéric Goaty - 200 Motels de Zappa

From the first bewitching chords, the magic operates and the irresistible power of seduction of the great Zappa music, which so naturally oscillates between the learned and the popular, stimulates our imagination. (...) Let's say it all: this new version of 200 motels directed by Antoine Gindt (musical direction Léo Warynski, video production Philippe Béziat) is a great success.

Leo Warynski conducted his (large) world with flexibility

DNA - Hervé Lévy
 - 200 Motels de Zappa

Leo Warynski conducted his (large) world with flexibility

DNA - Hervé Lévy - 200 Motels de Zappa

Leo Warynski conducted his (large) world with flexibility, finding subtle balances between the various protagonists and nicely resonating the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra - a little used to such a repertoire, but who seemed to really enjoy himself -, the Percussions de Strasbourg, the vocal ensemble Les Métaboles (which he founded) with an impeccable coherence and The HeadShakers, a group whose universe dares to mix between funk, jazz and "hendrixian" escapades.

2018

September

Sunday September 30th 2018 - 4:30 pm200 Motels - The suitesPhilharmonie de Paris

Transposition for the stage of 200 Motels, a hallucinatory film by Frank Zappa recording the life of a rock band on tour, 200 Motels - The Suites is an impressive musical/theatrical fresco, premiered in France.

Les Métaboles (20 singers)
Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
Les Percussions de Strasbourg
The Headshakers
Léo Warynski, musical direction

 

Friday September 21st 2018 - 8:30 pm 200 Motels - The suitesFestival Musica - Zénith de Strasbourg

Transposition for the stage of 200 Motels, a hallucinatory film by Frank Zappa recording the life of a rock band on tour, 200 Motels - The Suites is an impressive musical/theatrical fresco, premiered in France.

Les Métaboles (20 singers)
Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
Les Percussions de Strasbourg
The Headshakers
Léo Warynski, musical direction