On Sept. 17, Oper Köln will kick off its 2023-24 season with the premiere of R. Strauss and Von Hoffmansthal’s “Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow).” Considered exceptionally demanding, and requiring a massive orchestra, the opera is a fairy tale that Strauss believed was his most important work. The story relates the tale of an ethereal Empress {…}
Oper Köln has unveiled its 2023-24 season. First up is “Marla, Die Maifliege” by Brigitta Gillessen and Ralf Gscheidle. The opera stars Tina Drole, Ruth Hade, Alina Koenig, and Maike Raschke. Performance Dates: August 27 – Sept. 21, 2023 Next up is “Die Frau ohne Schatten.” Maria Albrecht conducts a cast starring AJ Glueckhert, Daniela Köhler, Irmgard Vilsmaier, Jordan Shanahan, {…}
Oper Köln is set to present two unique opera productions this coming April. First up, Oper Köln will present a new version of composer Arnaud Petit’s “La Bête dans la Jungle” based on the novella by Henry James. The work will be world premiered on April 14, 2023 with Frederic Wake-Walker directing. François-Xavier Roth conducts with KS Miljenko Turk and {…}
The Oper Köln has announced its 2022-23 season featuring nine new productions and five revivals. Here is a look at the operatic productions of the season. Premieres Enea Scala headlines Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” alongside Mirko Roschkowski in a new production by Johannes Erath. The cast also includes Veronica Simeoni, Isabelle Druet, and Marco Spotti. Francois Xavier-Roth conducts. Premiere Date: Sept. {…}
Oper Köln has canceled the Jan. 6, 2022 performance of Walter Braunfels’ rarely performed opera “Die Vögel” due to multiple cases of illness in the opera house. The company did not specify the nature of the illness. The opera was set to star Burkhard Fritz, Joshua Bloom, Samuel Youn, Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger, Ana Durlovski, Anna Malesza-Kutny, Lotte Verstaen, Mine Yücel, {…}
(Credit: © Raimond Spekking/Wikimedia Commons) Oper Köln has canceled the Dec. 30 performance of Walter Braunfels’ rarely performed opera “Die Vögel” due to multiple sick cases in the opera house. The company did not specify the nature of the illness. The opera house already canceled a performance of “Die Vögel” on Dec. 28, again due to an undisclosed sickness. The {…}
(Credit: © Raimond Spekking/Wikimedia Commons) Oper Köln canceled the Dec. 28 performance of Walter Braunfels’ rarely performed opera “Die Vögel” due to multiple sick cases in the opera house. The company did not specify the nature of the illness. The opera was set to star Young Woo Kim, Joshua Bloom, Bjarni Thor Kristinsson, Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger, Gloria Rehm, Anna Malesza-Kutny, {…}
(Credit: ©Barbara Anmüller) “Comedy today, tragedy tomorrow.” American soprano Sydney Mancasola uttered these words before going to the stage at the Adelaide Festival on March 13 2020, in the role of Bess in opera “Breaking the Waves.” The opera had a second performance on March 15, and at that time the coronavirus pandemic already begun its deadly march across Europe {…}
(Credit: Oper Köln official website) The Oper Köln has announced that it has decided to cancel the rest of its 2020-21 season. “Together with the Mayor Henriette Reker, Head of Culture Susanne Laugwitz-Aulbach and the directors of the Köln Philharmonic, the Köln stages and the Gürzenich Orchestra, it was decided to end the 2020-21 season due to the current pandemic {…}
Oper Köln has announced that Hein Mulders will be the new intendant. Mulders will assume the position at the German house from the 2022-23 season and will take over for Birgit Meyer. The Dutch intendant began his career as an orchestra manager of the Dutch National Youth Orchestra in Amsterdam and then spent 11 years as casting director of the {…}
(Credit: Sven Helge Czichy) The Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden has announced the extension of its shutdown until at least May 1, 2021. “On March 8 we were allowed to resume with rehearsals, but the resumption of performances depends on many factors. We can say that it will be a while before the curtain rises again,” said the opera house in the {…}