Carmen in Norway

Posted on January 10, 2015 by editoreusa

logonorwayJanuary 23.–March 26

Carmen

Performed in French Texted in Norwegian and English
3 hours 1 intermission
carmen1Since the premiere in 1875, the character of Carmen in Bizet’s hitlist of an opera has captivated audiences all over the world. Carmen desires desire itself. She is a seducer, conqueror, rule-breaker and radical. A century before the hippie movement’s «make love, not war», in Habañera Carmen proclaims that it is the freedom to love that matters: what, whom and when she wants. Love is like a rebellious bird that no one can tame, she sings, or a gypsy’s child.
Catalan director Calixto Bieito attracted a lot of attention with last season’s The Tales of Hoffmann. His version of Carmen sets the action in Spain at the end of the 1970s, immediately after the Franco era. The production is still characterised by the captivating and physical musical drama that has always fascinated Carmen’s audiences. In a circle of light – bursting with energy – we confront the violent human desire for attention, power and satisfaction. The hard-hitting disappointment of rejection is laid bare for us, along with the difficult situation of girls and women faced with poverty and male chauvinism. And in the centre is the seductive figure of Carmen, her radicalism given a new, timeless relevance.
Carmen is a co-production with the English National Opera.
Premiere discussion one week before the performance / Mini-Carmen (singing games for children) / free introduction one hour before the performance

  • Music : Georges Bizet
  • Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy : Libretto
  • Conductor : Fabien Gabel, Christian Vásquez
  • Direction : Calixto Bieito
  • Set design : Alfons Flores
  • Costumes : Mercè Paloma
  • Lighting design : Bruno Poet
  • Cast : The Opera Chorus, The Opera Orchestra

carmen2

CAST

carmenKatarina Bradic as Carmen

Playing the following days

1/23/2015
1/26/2015
1/29/2015
2/3/2015
2/28/2015
3/4/2015
3/9/2015

 

Tone_KummervoldTone Kummervold as Carmen

Playing the following days

1/24/2015
1/27/2015
1/30/2015
2/5/2015
2/21/2015
3/7/2015
3/26/2015

 

donJoseHenrik Engelsviken as Don Jose

Playing the following days

1/23/2015
1/26/2015
1/29/2015
2/3/2015
2/28/2015
3/4/2015
3/9/2015

 

daniel_johanssonDaniel Johansson as Don Jose

Playing the following days

1/24/2015
1/27/2015
1/30/2015
2/5/2015
2/21/2015
3/7/2015
3/26/2015

Ben_WagerBen Wager as Escamillo

Playing the following days

1/23/2015 * 1/26/2015
1/29/2015 * 2/3/2015
2/28/2015 * 3/4/2015
3/9/2015 * 3/7/2015
3/26/2015

YngveYngve Søberg as Escamillo

Playing the following days

1/24/2015
1/27/2015
1/30/2015
2/5/2015
2/21/2015

Maria_BochmanovaMaria Bochmanova as Micaëla

Playing the following days

1/23/2015
1/26/2015
1/29/2015
2/3/2015
2/28/2015
3/4/2015
3/9/2015

 
Natalia_Tanasiiciuc_foto_Anatol_LunguNatalia Tanasii as Micaëla

Playing the following days

1/24/2015
1/27/2015
1/30/2015
2/5/2015
2/21/2015
3/7/2015
3/26/2015

 

Other roles

  • Dancaïre
    • Svein Erik Sagbråten
    • Thor Inge Falch
  • Frasquita
    • Kari Ulfsnes Kleiven
    • Caroline Christensen
  • Mercédès
    • Maija Skille
    • Hege Høisæter
  • Moralès
    • Ole Jørgen Kristiansen
    • Aleksander Nohr
  • Remendado
    • Nils Harald Sødal
    • Petter Moen
  • Zuniga
    • Musa Ngqungwana
    • Ketil Hugaas
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Les Joyeuses Commères de Windsor in Liege

Posted on January 10, 2015 by editoreusa

nikolai

wallonieSeason : 2014-2015

Length : 3h30

Song language : German
Conductor :
Christian Zacharias
Director :
David Hermann
Choirmaster :
Marcel Seminara
Artist :
Franz Hawlata, Anneke Luyten, Werner Van Mechelen, Sabina Willeit, Laurent Kubla, Davide Giusti, Sophie Junker, Stefan Cifolelli, Patrick Delcour, Sébastien Dutrieux
Number of performances :
5
Dates :
Fri, 30/01/2015 to Sat, 07/02/2015

First time at the Opera.

About the cast

Considered one of the greatest German pianists today, Christian Zacharias also pursues an extraordinary career as a conductor.

This remarkable musical explorer will find his perfect match through this work which is infused with a more than seductive musical power and which dazzlingly pulls off a fusion of the German and Italian styles.

On the cast side, among others, we have Sabina Willeit (L’Equivoco Stravagante), Franz Hawlata (Fidelio), Werner Van Mechelen (Stradella) and, for the first time, the Belgian soprano Anneke Luyten, semi-finalist in the Reine Elisabeth award in 2011, who has just made her appearance at the Vlaamse Opera in Parsifal.

The story of Les Joyeuses Commères de Windsor

Sir John Falstaff leads a dissipated life.

Permanently penniless, he sends the same love letter to Frau Fluth and Frau Reich, two rich bourgeois women.

The latter, seeing through the ruse, are highly put out.

From that time on, their only amusement comes at the expense of the inept suitor.

Now thrown into the Thames with the dirty laundry, now expelled from the room with great sweeps of the broom while disguised as a woman, Falstaff becomes the laughing-stock of the village children when he walks through the woods in a ghost costume.

Libretto: Hermann Von Mosenthal
after the play by William Shakespeare
New production: Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège,
in coproduction with Opéra de Lausanne

Cast

Conductor: Christian Zacharias
Director: David Hermann*
Set designs: Rifail Ajdarpasic*
Costume designs: Ariane Isabell Unfried*
Lighting designs: Fabrice Kebour

Choirmaster: Marcel Seminara
Orchestra & Choirs: Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

Sir John Falstaff: Franz Hawlata
Frau Fluth: Anneke Luyten*
Herr Fluth: Werner Van Mechelen
Frau Reich: Sabina Willeit
Herr Reich: Laurent Kubla
Fenton: Davide Giusti*
Jungfer Anna Reich: Sophie Junker
Junker Spärlich: Stefan Cifolelli
Dr. Caïus: Patrick Delcour
The therapist: Sébastien Dutrieux
1st citizen: Patrick Mignon

About the opera

In these Joyeuses Commères de Windsor by Nicolaï and Von Mosenthal, the number of characters is limited to the most important ones.Unlike Verdi who set the comedy by Shakespeare to music forty-five years later and turned Falstaff into the central character, Nicolaï lends very specific importance to the main female roles.Frau Fluth and Frau Reich are the string-pullers of all the pranks.For her part, Anna, Frau Reich’s daughter, knows full well how to take advantage of the situation in order to organise her wedding to Fenton.With Verdi, Falstaff possesses human grandeur and a certain philosophical wisdom.With Nicolaï, he is the typical flawed character…

Shakespeare wrote the Merry Wives of Windsor in less than two weeks in order to satisfy Elizabeth I who, having enjoyed the character of Falstaff in Henry IV, had expressed the desire to see him back on the stage

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“The Cunning Little Vixen” in Finland

Posted on January 10, 2015 by editoreusa

logofinlandThe Finnish National Opera Presents:

vixenThe Cunning Little Vixen

Leoš Janáček

A young vixen, or female fox, is captured by a forest ranger and obliged to learn to live among humans. The vixen finally escapes to freedom and the proper life of a fox, however short that may be. Featuring a cast of animal characters, this opera resembling a fairy tale is suitable for the whole family.

Leoš Janáček depicted tragic human characters in his works but also demonstrated a profound understanding of nature. The Cunning Little Vixen is an insightful study about the relationship between the restrictions of human life and the freedom of the animal kingdom.

A fantastically imaginative realisation of the colourful world of animals is presented in the opera set design début of internationally recognised designer Klaus Haapaniemi. The director and choreographer are Immo Karaman and Fabian Posca, who created the acclaimed production of Doctor Atomic.

Tickets for the spring season performances available from 6 Oct 2014.

Duration 2 h 10 min, 1 intermission
Performed in Finnish, surtitles in Finnish, Swedish and English.
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Die Fledermaus in Tokyo

Posted on January 9, 2015 by editoreusa

mainmenuTokyoDie Fledermaus

Music by Johann STRAUSS II
Opera in 3 acts
Sung in German with Japanese surtitles
Opera Palace

January 29, February 1,4,8  2:00 PM
February 6,  7:00 PM

die fledermaus

Johann STRAUSS II, the “Waltz King”, composed this crowning work of the operetta genre, Die Fledermaus. The stage production is by Heinz ZEDNIK, a renowned tenor who also holds the title of Kammersänger. His stylish and elegant staging comes from his thorough familiarity with the Viennese temperament and deep understanding of this work.
Adrian ERÖD will sing as Eisenstein. He appeared in the same role at the NNTT in 2011. He will also appear in the title role in Don Giovanni this 2014/2015 season. The other singers are mostly from either the Vienna State Opera or the Vienna Volksoper, making for a cast thoroughly dyed in the Viennese way.

Staff

Alfred ESCHWÉConductor　Alfred ESCHWÉ

 

Heinz ZEDNIKProduction　Heinz ZEDNIK

 

Scenery & Costume Design　Olaf ZOMBECK

Choreographer　Maria Luise JASKA

Lighting Design　TATSUTA Yuji

Cast

Adrian ERÖDGabriel von Eisenstein　Adrian ERÖD

 

 

Alexandra REINPRECHTRosalinde　Alexandra REINPRECHT

 

 

Horst LAMNEKFrank　Horst LAMNEK

 

 

Manuela LEONHARTSBERGERPrinz Orlofsky　Manuela LEONHARTSBERGER

 

 

MURAKAMI KotaAlfred　MURAKAMI Kota

 

 

 

Klemens SANDERDr. Falke　Klemens SANDER

 

 

Jennifer O'LOUGHLINAdele　Jennifer O’LOUGHLIN

 

 

Dr. Blind　OKUBO Mitsuya

Frosch　Boris EDER

Ida　WASHIO Mai

Chorus　New National Theatre Chorus

Orchestra　Tokyo Symphony Orchestra

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KRZYSZTOF MEYER’s fantastic comic opera CYBERIADA (THE CYBERIAD) at the Teatr Wielki

Posted on January 8, 2015 by editoreusa

polandlogoSun 6:00pm January 18, 2015

Moniuszko Auditorium

CyberiadePosterCYBERIADA (THE CYBERIAD)

 POZNAŃ OPERA THEATRE

KRZYSZTOF MEYER

Fantastic comic opera in three acts
Libretto – composer, based on the cycle of Stanisław Lem’s short stories
Premiere: 25/05/2013

Duration: 2 hrs. 30 min., including one intermission

Artistic Team:

Conductor: Krzysztof Słowiński
Director and Choreographer: Ran Arthur Braun
Set Designer: Justin C. Arienti
Lighting Designer: Marek Rydian
Chorus Master: Mariusz Otto

c1Cast:

The Stranger – Piotr Friebe
Constructor Trull / An Old Man / Trull’s Ghost – Adam Palka
The Ring – Barbara Gutaj-Monowid
Queen Genius – Roma Jakubowska-Handke
King Mandrillion the Greatest – Marek Szymański
Multitudian the Postman – Magdalena Wilczyńska-Goś
Subtillion – Tomasz Mazur
King Zipperupus – Karol Bochański
Polymeric Winidur – Rafał Korpik
An Old Cyberwitch – Vera Baniewicz
Automatthew – Jaromir Trafankowski
Alfred 1 – Natalia Puczniewska
Alfred 2 – Magdalena Wilczyńska-Goś
The Shop Owner – Michał Marzec
Three Storytelling Machines –
1. Janusz Andrzejewski
2. Barbara Gutaj-Monowid
3. Andrzej Ogórkiewicz
Konsulent – Bartłomiej Szczeszek
Juris Konsulent – Rafał Korpik
Perfect Adviser – Janusz Andrzejewski

c2

Aerialists: Peeter Gross, Maciej Astramowicz, Roksana Kostyra
Dancers: Zuzanna Perszewska, Aleksandra Brzezowska

Chorus and Orchestra of the Poznań Opera Theatre

The cast is subject to change

The project is financed from a designated subsidy of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage

Photo: Katarzyna Zalewska
Poster for the production designed by Ryszard Kaja

c3 c5 c6 c8 c9 c4 c7

 

 

 

 

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Weinberg’s THE PORTRAIT in Warsaw

Posted on January 6, 2015 by editoreusa

polandlogoFri 7:00pm January 16, 2015
Moniuszko Auditorium

THE PORTRAIT – THE POZNAŃ OPERA THEATRE

portraitPosterMIECZYSŁAW WEINBERG

Opera in three acts
Libretto by Alexander Medvedev based on Nikolai Gogol’s short story
Sung in Russian with Polish surtitles
Co-production with the Opera North Production, U.K.
Polish premiere: 6/12/2013

Duration: 2 hrs 40 min., including one intermission

Artistic Team:

Conductor: Gabriel Chmura
Direction: David Pountney
Set Designer: Dan Potra
Lighting Designer: Linus Fellbom
Revival: Anelia Kadieva

p1Cast:

Czartkov – Jacek Laszczkowski
Nikita – Jaromir Trafankowski
Art Dealer / Landlady / Journalist / Professor / Earl
– Stanisław Kuflyuk
Lamplighter / Nobleman – Piotr Friebe
District Chief / General / Dignitary – Rafał Korpik
Female Seller / Lady-in-Writing – Monika Mych-Nowicka
Ist Seller / Ist Waiter / Turk – Marek Szymański
IInd Seller – Karol Bochański
IInd Waiter / Cavalry Officer – Kornel Maciejowski
IIIrd Seller / Dignitary – Andrzej Ogórkiewicz
Noble Woman – Olga Maroszek
Lisa – Galina Kuklina
Psyche – Maria Marcinkiewicz-Górna
Blind Flautist – Sebastian Łukaszewski

Orchestra of Poznań Opera Theatre

The project is financed from a designated subsidy of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

p2p3

According to many experts of new music in the Soviet Union, after Sergei Prokofiev’s death, it was Mieczysław Weinberg who could be considered the most interesting composer after Dmitri Shostakovich. Apart from Alexandre Tansman and Andrzej Panufnik, Weinberg was one of the few Polish composers who, living in exile, managed to interest the most outstanding performers in his music. His compositions include several dozen symphonies, concerts, choral pieces, chamber pieces and movie scores (including for The Cranes Are Flying). In terms of the opera, he is the author of as many as seven pieces – The Passenger, to the libretto based on a short story by Zofia Posmysz, D’Artagnan in love with the libretto drawing on Alexandre Dumas’ novel, Well done! with the text inspired by a short story by Sholem Aleichem, and other pieces based on the works of Bernard Shaw, Fyodor Dostoyevsky or Nikolai Gogol.p4
It was actually Nikolai Gogol who wrote the story that inspired the libretto to The Portrait. The first performance of this opera was held in 1983 at the National Theatre in Brno. Other adaptations had not been attempted before the Bregenzer Festspiele (2010) directed by John Fulljames and the performances at the Nancy Opera and the North Theatre in Leeds directed by David Pountney – the same director who will now present his take on The Portrait in Poznań.

p5

Musically, Opera North’s Weinberg revival is subtle and tautly sung. Independent on Sunday

Gripping, sometimes frustrating but enthralling and, all in all, required viewing. Classical Source

David Pountney’s stimulating production was nothing less than an eye-opener. The York Press

Opera North have done Weinberg proud. Opera Britannia

Photo: Katarzyna Zalewska
Poster for the production designed by Ryszard Kaja

p6 p7 p9

p8

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Tõnu Kõrvits’ Butterfly in Estonia

Posted on January 6, 2015 by editoreusa

butterflytitle

Butterfly

Opera by Tõnu Kõrvits in two acts

Libretto by Maria Lee Liivak and Lauri Kaldoja, based on Andrus Kivirähk’s eponymous novel
World premiere on September 13, 2013 at the Estonian National Opera

  • Approx. running time 2 h 5 min
  • Performed in Estonian, subtitles in Estonian and English

F, 16 January 2015 / 19:00

F, 6 February 2015 / 19:00

butterfly1

“Butterfly” by Tõnu Kõrvits is a dream-like opera, merging life, theatre and fairy-tale. The heroine Erika is a mysterious bird-woman, who is employed by the theatre by chance and dances like a butterfly. She is fickle, sensitive and unpredictable. Her descent from birds makes her choose between leaving with them on the brink of winter or staying at the theatre, where her heart and her beloved August is.butterfly2

“Butterfly” is commissioned for the 100th anniversary of the house of the Estonia Theatre and Concert House on September 6, 2013. The opera recounts the beginning years of the theatre and people who worked there at the time (dancer Erika Tetzky, actor August Michelson). The historical opening performance of the house, “Hamlet”, will be portrayed by the characters of the legendary actors Erna Villmer and Theodor Altermann. Ophelia portrayed by Villmer will become a parallel to the fate of Erika.butterfly3

Staging team
Conductors Vello Pähn, Risto Joost
Stage Director Peeter Jalakas (Von Krahl Theatre)
Designer Liisi Eelmaa
Ligting Designer Anton Kulagin
Choreographer: Kati Kivitar
Video Designer Emer Värk (Von Krahl Theatre)
Technical Consultant Enar Tarmo (Von Krahl Theatre)butterfly4butterfly5

CAST

risto_joost
Risto Joost Conductor
Rauno_Elp
Rauno Elp
oliver_kuusik
Oliver Kuusik
helen_lokuta
Helen Lokuta
Kadri_Kipper

butterfly6butterfly7

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OWEN WINGRAVE at the Oper Frankfurt

Posted on January 5, 2015 by editoreusa

frankfurtlogo

OWEN WINGRAVE

Benjamin Britten 1913 – 1976

Opera in two acts
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper, after the story by the same name (1893) by Henry James
First broadcast May 16th 1971 BBC Television, London
First performance May 10th 1973 Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London
Sung in English with German surtitles

Saturday 10.01.2015

Further performances:
16.01.2015 |23.01.2015 |25.01.2015 |30.01.20151Owen

Cast

Conductor
Yuval Zorn
Director
Walter Sutcliffe
Revival rehearsed by
Tobias Heyder
Stage and Costume Designer
Kaspar Glarner
Lighting Designer
Frank Keller
Dramaturge
Agnes Eggers

2Owen

Owen Wingrave, the last of the Wingraves
Björn Bürger
Spencer Coyle
Dietrich Volle
Lechmere
Simon Bode
Narrator / Ballad Singer
Beau Gibson
Miss Wingrave, Owen’s aunt
Britta Stallmeister
Mrs Coyle
Barbara Zechmeister
Mrs Julian, a widow
Karen Vuong
Kate, her daughter
Nina Tarandek
General Sir Philip Wingrave, Owen’s grandfather
Michael McCown

Oper Frankfurt’s Orchestra3Owen

About the Piece

Owen Wingrave, based on Henry James’ story, is about how an isolated, honourable individual clashes with an officially sanc …
Owen Wingrave, based on Henry James’ story, is about how an isolated, honourable individual clashes with an officially sanctioned spirit of militarism. Owen comes from a 300 year old officer dynasty. The central character reflects Britten’s own experience in war time, when he gave vent to his pacifistic views to an administrative commission.
4OwenWar was raging in Vietnam when Britten began composing the opera in 1969. Protests against war were escalating all over the world. Right from the beginning the musical characterisation of the family portraits conjure up sabre rattling and clinking sporrans. Walter Sutcliffe’s treatment of this unusual chamber opera keeps close to the work’s origins in television. The stage design allows the scenes to change in almost film-like format. This production was such a success when it first opened at the Bockenheimer Depot that is now being revived for the first time, in the Opera House.5Owen

Synopsis

Owen confesses to Coyle, his teacher, that he intends to reject the military career expected of him. Coyle is unable to persuade Owen otherwise and unwillingly agrees to break the news to Owen’s aunt. She orders that Owen be sent to Paramore, the family home. Owen, meanwhile, reflects on his decision and his desire to follow the path of peace. Owen arrives home, resolved to face his living family and the ghosts of his ancestors. The family spend a week reminding him of his duty, his heritage. The Coyles join the family for a dinner, the purpose of which is to humiliate and undermine Owen, and make him see sense. Owen tells Coyle a ghost story, showing him the actual room it relates to. Owen is summoned by his grandfather. 6Owen

The Coyles try to convince Kate, Owen’s betrothed, to show Owen some sympathy. Owen announces that he is being disinherited. All retire to bed, except Owen, who reflects on what he is losing, what he is gaining and on the peace he has found. He is visited by the ancestral ghosts but summons the courage to reject them. Kate appears. Owen asks Kate to come with him but she refuses. They argue, and Kate denounces Owen as a coward. The only way to prove her wrong is to face his deepest fear and spend the night in Paramore’s haunted room…..7Owen 8Owen

 

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Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice in Warsaw

Posted on January 5, 2015 by editoreusa

polandlogoORFEO ED EURIDICE

Christoph Willibald Gluck
Sun  6:00pm  January 25, 2015
Moniuszko Auditorium

orfeo13

orfeusposterOpera in three acts (Vienna version)
Libretto: Ranieri de’ Calzabigi
World premiere: Vienna, 5/10/1762
Polish premiere: Warsaw, 1776
Bratislava premiere: 5/12/2008
Premiere of this production: 23/05/2009
Co-production with the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava
Original language version with Polish surtitles

Running time: 1 hour 20 min

orfeo1

Conductor: Łukasz Borowicz
Direction: Mariusz Treliński
Set Design: Boris Kudlička
Costumes: Magdalena Musiał
Choreography: Tomasz Wygoda
Chorus Master: Bogdan Gola
Lighting Design: Marc Heinz
Literary Consultancy: Piotr Gruszczyński
Video: Bartek Macias

Chorus and Orchestra of the Polish National Opera, Polish National Ballet

orfeo2

Photo: Krzysztof Bieliński
Poster for the production, designed by Adam Żebrowski

Cast:

Orfeo – Wojtek Gierlach
Euridice – Olga Pasiecznik
Amor – Bożena Bujnicka

orfeo4

This is the oldest work that Mariusz Treliński has taken on in his 15 years as an opera director. He chose the Viennese version of Gluck’s opera, performed in Italian and with a baritone Orfeo. Treliński’s Orfeo is a piece that grew from the music and the cultural background, but apparently was also inspired by some hard times he personally experienced. His confrontation with the great tale of Mediterranean culture and also the founding myth of the whole opera genre resulted in a completely contemporary form: real, “ours”, almost palpable, just like in Czesław Miłosz’s poem Orpheus and Eurydice.

orfeo6The director left out Gluck’s conventional lieto fine, a relic of the Enlightenment worldview – a form of interference Treliński had never before allowed himself and never has since. In such a personal production the major chords of the ending would have simply been an inappropriate dissonance. Treliński’s Euridice commits suicide only to literally haunt her still living lover after her death, practically not leaving the stage even for a moment. What an accumulation, in the performance’s two hours, of shocking images that it is impossible to shake off upon leaving the theatre! Let us mention just one, perhaps the most powerful – when Euridice’s coffin is about to be consumed by the crematorium furnace…

orfeo7

orfeo8 orfeo9 orfeo10 orfeo12 orfeo13 orfeo14 orfeo15 orfeo16 orfeo17 orfeo18 orfeo19 orfeo20 orfeo21 orfeo22

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Rusalka at the Oper Frankfurt

Posted on January 3, 2015 by editoreusa

frankfurtlogoRUSALKA

Antonin Dvorak 1841 – 1904
Lyric Fairy Tale in three acts
Libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil based on: Udine, by Friedrich de la Motte Fougué, The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen and Die Versunkene Glocke/The Sunken Bell by Gerhart Hauptmann
World premiere: March 31st 1901, National Theatre, Prague

A production from the Opéra national de Lorraine
Sung in Czech with German surtitles
Duration: c. 3 1/2 hrs. with two intervals

Thursday 05.02.2015
Further performances:
13.02.2015 |15.02.2015 |21.02.2015 |27.02.2015

Cast

Conductor
Christian Arming
Director and Stage Designer
Jim Lucassen
Revival rehearsed by
Tobias Heyder
Costume Designer
Amélie Sator
Lighting Designer
Andreas Grüter
Dramaturge
Ton Boorsma
Chorus Master
Tilman Michael

Rusalka
Olesya Golovneva
Prince
A.J. Glueckert
Fremde Fürstin
Claudia Mahnke
Wassermann
Andreas Bauer
Ježibaba, die Hexe
Katharina Magiera
Heger / Jäger
Sebastian Geyer
Küchenjunge
Maria Pantiukhova *
1. Waldelfe
Katharina Ruckgaber*
2. Waldelfe
Elizabeth Reiter
3. Waldelfe
Marta Herman

Oper Frankfurt’s Orchestra and Chorus

* Member of the Opera Studio

1RusalkaGermany

About the piece

Director and Stage Designer Jim Lucassen set Dvořák’s fairy tale opera in a national history museum, a paradigmatic space where di …
Director and Stage Designer Jim Lucassen set Dvořák’s fairy tale opera in a national history museum, a paradigmatic space where different worlds and times converge. Rusalka’s home, an inanimate exhibit during the day, comes to life at night. When the water nymph enters the hostile civilisation at the Prince’s court she finds that only a withered skeleton of nature has survived. Lucassen’s clear and sensitive production was highly praised when it was first performed in Nancy in 2010 and revived in Montpellier in 2011. 2RusalkaGermany

The first performances of this production, in September 2013, were the first time that this important Czech opera had been performed in Frankfurt for 24 years. Although Antonìn Dvořák wrote 10 operas the only one that enjoyed lasting success was Rusalka. One of the reasons was that this time he had a really first class libretto to work on, written by the author Jaroslav Kvapil. Kvapil wove European versions of old sagas about water nymphs and sprites into the Slavonic myth of the Rusalki and the Water Sprite, a well known figure in Czechoslovakia. Dvořák made hardly any changes to the libretto when setting it to music. His love of nature, in which he imersed himself whenever possible at his holiday home in the countryside outside Prague, is evident throughout the score.3RusalkaGermany

Synopsis

Rusalka, a water nymph, daughter of the Water Man, falls in love with a prince. Her father warns her about the human world but s …
Rusalka, a water nymph, daughter of the Water Man, falls in love with a prince. Her father warns her about the human world but she is so determined that he refers her to Jezibaba, a witch. Jezibaba mocks Rusalka and points out the consequences her decision will have: if she loses the Prince’s love she will be doomed for eternity, and so will he. Jezibaba gives her human legs but makes it impossible for her to speak in human company. 4RusalkaGermany

The Prince meets Rusalka, falls in love. Preparations are put in motion for their wedding. His subjects are suspicious of his strange intended bride. The Prince reproaches Rusalka for her lack of passion. He then proves easy prey for a warm blooded, flirty foreign Princess. Rusalka tries to win him back, but he rejects her. Hopeless and dejected, Rusalka returns to her place of origin. Jezibaba tells her that the only way she can regain her former existence is if she kills the Prince. She, of course, cannot bring herself to do this and so is fated to wander, forever, between the worlds as a will-o’-the-wisp. The Prince, full of remorse, eventually finds her again but the kiss she begs her to give him kills him. Rusalka asks God to take pity on his soul.

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