Jean-Louis Grinda has been a director of Opéra de Monte-Carlo since 2007. He was a Director General for eleven years of Royal Opera of Wollonie in Liège. In December 1999 he staged a well-known musical "Singin' in the rain" in French language. The spectacle which was on stage of Théâtre de la Porte Saint Martin in Paris, was awarded with Molière prize as the best musical spectacle of 2001.
Together with Stéphane Laporte and Claire Servais he staged "Titanic" (Yeston – Stone) also in French language. This spectacle was created in Opéra Royal de Wallonie and its European premiere was relized in December 2000. Later on he staged J. Offenbach's "La Périchole" in Opéra d'Avignon, in Opéra de Massy (Paris) and in Liège. After Opéra de Metz this spectacle was staged in Forum Grimaldi à Monaco in November 2002, and in Capitole de Toulouse in December 2002.
From May 2003 Jean-Louis Grinda commenced to stage "Tetralogy" that was concluded with a total reiteration cycle in September 2005 which was staged and filmed by RTBF.  He staged also the world masterpiece "Simenon et Joséphine" (for "Année Simenon" in Liège), musical comedy "Sugar" taken from a well-known film "Some like it hot", and a new production of "Don Carlos" in Zagreb which was repeated in Tel-Aviv. He also staged in in Liège mis en scene of "I Pagliacci" and new production of "Trois Valses" (repeated by Opéra Comique in Paris in April 2006) and a ne co-production of "La Gioconda" together with Opéra de Nice. In December 2005 he staged children's musical comedy "Sol en Cirque" in Paris which was viewed by more than 100 000 spectators on that day. In December 2006 he staged "Die Fledermaus" in Capitole de Toulouse which will be repeatedly staged in Liège, Bordeaux, Monaco and Metz.
 His plans and projects include realization of the following plays: "Mefistofele" in Royal Opera of Wollonie (ORW) in June 2007 which will be repeated in Tel-Aviv, "Eugène Onéguine" in Oslo, "Don Giovanni", "Falstaff" and "West Side Story" in Monte-Carlo, "Amica" (Mascagni) in Opéra de Rome, and "Don Quichotte" at Festival Massenet in 2010.

Creation history
After "Alzira" Verdi got back to heroic "Chorus" opera where he was able to depict Italy's struggle for independence. Following his intense search and reflections his attention was focused on this piece of German romanticist, dated 1808.
In the romantic atmosphere of the times, Verdi had read an article by Madame de Staël, De l'Alemagne, which contained a summary of Zacharias Werner's play, Attila, König der Hunnen. The librettist Andrea Maffei (who later on wrote the libretto for I Masnadieri) gave Verdi the idea of a "barbarian" subject, and the Maestro, with his readings still fresh in his mind, started to work adapting Werner's drama. Temistocle Solera was given the task of transposing the work into verse, while Verdi chose the Fenice Theatre in Venice as the place to perform it for the first time. The libretto was slow in arriving, however, because Solera, in the Spanish capital where he had moved, was deeply in debt and did not send the last scenes of the libretto. Verdi decided to ask Francesco Maria Piave to complete the text.
Verdi's achievements of period of "Ernani" (profoundness of individual characterizations) and the might, characteristic to choral scenes of "Nabucco" are synthesized in "Attila".
Verdi's opera was billed as a historical drama depicting ancient events, while in fact it was a timely expression of one of the hottest political issues of the day - the push for Italian independence.
In 19th-century Italy, the movement was known as the Risorgimento, or Resurgence. The Italian peninsula had long been divided, and ruled by the Austrian empire. The goal of the Risorgimento was to expel the Austrian rulers and unify Italy under one government. Verdi was one of the movement's leading advocates and his many patriotic operas made him a national hero.
Verdi did have government censors to deal with, of course. He couldn't write dramas that actually portrayed current events. So, in operas like Attila, Nabucco and I Lombardi, he evaded the censors by taking contemporary, revolutionary sentiments, and disguising them within historical contexts - depicting the Mongol invasion, the tyranny of Nebuchadnezzar and the gallantry of the Crusades.
Not surprisingly, these operas take a few liberties with actual history. The real Attila may not have been the reflective, romantic sort of guy Verdi made of him. Still, when it came to the history being made in his own time, Verdi struck just the right chord - depicting a noble struggle against invading hordes- and his music helped to inspire a real-life revolution.
on March 17th, 1846, Attila was performed, a moderate success.

Synopsis
Setting - Italy in the Fifth Century A. D.
Act I.
The action takes place in the middle of the 5th century in Aquileia. The city has been badly ravaged by the invasion of the Huns commanded by the fierce Attila: the night is lit up by the torches and the fires still burning in the town. A great number of Huns and Ostrogoths pay homage to their leader. Uldino, a young Breton slave of Attila's, presents to the victor a group of virgins from Aquileia spared from the massacre after having fought courageously beside their fathers and brothers: among these is Odabella, who had seen her father killed and who believes dead Foresto, the man she loved, as well. Attila, smitten by her beauty and her proud words, falls in love with her and gives her his sword, ordering that together with the other virgins, she be taken to the camp to become part of his court. Odabella belts on Attila's sword, pretending to submit to the invader's will, but she plans her revenge. As the women are taken away, Ezio, a valiant Roman general, is brought forward. He hates the young emperor Valentiniano, and comes to offer his help to Attila for his future campaigns, in exchange for the command over Italy. Attila refuses indignantly any compromise: he plans to conquer Rome and the rest of Italy through force. Troubled, Ezio answers that if Attila will not have him as an ally, he will have him, as in the past, as a valiant enemy on the field of battle.
At Rio Alto, in the Adriatic lagoons, the Hermits live in huts built on piles. They joyously take in the men and women from Aquileia, making plans to rebuild the city stronger and more beautiful. The new city shall also be built on piles, where the Hermits' simple huts now stand.
Act II.
The woods near Attila's camp. It is night; Odabella is mourning her father and her beloved Foresto, when the latter arrives, having managed to come to her despite the great danger. The young man thinks that Odabella has been unfaithful and attacks her bitterly, reminding her of the homeland destroyed, her father killed and their past love. But Odabella desperately defends herself against Foresto's accusations: she will be like Judith, who saved Israel by killing Holofernes. This is the reason she agreed to follow Attila and is wearing his sword. With this sword she will avenge the homeland, killing the invader. Repentant, Foresto embraces Odabella, pledging his love to her.
Attila's tent. The commander sleeps, guarded by Uldino. But suddenly, he awakes, terrified by a nightmare: he dreamt that an old man, coming toward him, prohibited him from entering Rome, land of the gods, not of common mortals. But Attila soon recovers, and, calling his captains, orders the trumpets to sound for the march on Rome. The trumpets barely start to squeal, when a mystic chorus is heard approaching. From the hills descends a long column of Roman virgins and young men. At their head is Pope Leo, the old man Attila had dreamt of: he repeats the fatal words of the dream. All present are shocked and terrified, Attila more than anyone else. He prostrates himself before the Pope, giving up his plan to conquer Rome.
 
Ezio's camp near Rome. The Roman general angrily reads a letter from the emperor Valentiniano, announcing a truce with the Huns and ordering him to return to Rome. He dreams of rebuilding Rome to its ancient splendour, taking the command away from the weak youth. A Hun delegation arrives, inviting Ezio to Attila's camp. Among these is Foresto in disguise. When alone with Ezio, he tells him that Attila will be killed that very day: the Roman troops should be ready. When they see a signal fire on the hill they should fall on the Huns, who, without their leader, will be beaten back in a short time.
Attila's camp. In the night illuminated by torches a solemn banquet is being prepared. Attila, with his followers, receives Ezio and invites him to agree to a truce. Suddenly a wind comes up that extinguishes most of the torches: hidden, Foresto informs Odabella that in the cup from which Attila will soon drink Uldino has put a potent poison. But just as Attila raises the cup to his lips, Odabella, who wants her enemy killed by her own hand and not by the betrayal of one of his own, tells Attila there is poison in the cup. Foresto claims he has done it, and his life is spared only because Odabella asks it of Attila in exchange for her warning. While Attila announces his plans to marry Odabella, now worthy of him, the next day, as well as his intention to resume his fight against Rome, Foresto curses Odabella for what he believes to be a horrendous betrayal. In vain the young girl implores him to escape, assuring him that in a short time he will have good reason to fully pardon her.
In the woods that separate Ezio's camp from Attila's, Foresto waits for Uldino to bring him news of the marriage of Attila and Odabella. Uldino announces that the procession is accompanying the bride to the commander's tent. The Roman troops are ready just beyond the woods, and Foresto tells Uldino to give them the signal to attack. While the young man continues to curse Odabella's betrayal, with useless invitations by Uldino to stay calm, Odabella herself arrives, having escaped from the barbarians' camp. Furious, Attila follows close behind, but he is blocked by three enemies: Odabella reminds him of her dead father, Foresto, the fatherland and his love destroyed and Ezio, all the crimes and destruction he has caused all over the world. As the noise of the Roman assault on Attila's camp reaches them, Foresto lunges forward to stab Attila, but not before Odabella, with the sword given her by Attila, finally manages to take out her revenge.