Oper Köln has announced its 2019-20 season.

Premieres

General Music Director François-Xavier Roth will lead the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln during performances of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde,” directed by Patrick Kinmonth. The cast will feature KS Peter Seiffert/Heiko Börner as Tristan, Karl-Heinz Lehner as König Marke, Ingela Brimberg as Isolde, Samuel Youn/Kostas Smorginas as Kurwenal, John Huezenroeder as Melot, Claudia Mahnke as Brangäne, Young Woo Kim as Ein Hirt/Stimme Eines Jungen Seemanns, and Insik Choi as Ein Steuermann.

Performance Dates: Sept. 21 – Oct. 13, 2019

A co-production with Opéra national du Rhin Strasbourg, Oper Köln will present Offenbach’s “Barkouf ou un chien au pouvoir,” marking the opera’s German premiere in celebration of the composer’s 200th birthday. Mariame Clément will direct, and Stefan Soltesz will conduct. The cast will feature Matthias Klink as Bababeck, Bjarni Thor Kristinsson as Der Großmogul, Patrick Kabongo as Saëb, Martin Koch as Kaliboul, Sunnyboy Dladla as Xaïloum, Susanne Elmark/Sarah Aristidou as Maïma, Judith Thielsen as Balkis, Kathrin Zukowski as Périzade, and the Chor der Oper Köln.

Performance Dates: Oct. 12 – Nov. 3, 2019

Bizet’s “Carmen” will be directed by Lydia Steier and conducted by Claude Schnitzler. The cast will include Adriana Bastidas-Gamboa/Rihab Chaieb/Stéphanie D’Oustrac as Carmen, Martin Muehle/Dmytro Popov/Young Woo Kim as Don José, Ivana Rusko/Claudia Rohrbach/Julia Novikova as Micaëla, and Oliver Zwarg/Samuel Youn/Kostas Smoriginas/Erwin Schrott as Escamillo.

Performance Dates: Nov. 10, 2019 – Jan. 7, 2020

Matthew Jocelyn will direct Brett Dean’s “Hamlet,” starring David Butt Philip in the title role alongside Gloria Rehm as Ophelia, Andrew Schroeder as Claudius, Dalia Schaechter as Gertrude, John Heuzenroeder as Polonius, Dino Lüthy as Laertes, and Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger as Horatio. Rounding out the cast are Joshua Bloom as Ghost/Gravedigger/Player 1, Patrick Terry as Rosencrantz, Cameron Shahbazi as Guildenstern, William Goforth as Player 2, Jan Rusko as Player 3, James Crabb as Akkordeon, and the Chor der Oper Köln.

Performance Dates: Nov. 24 – Dec. 11, 2019

Brigitta Gillessen and Rainer Mühlbach’s production of Wagner’s “Siegfried,” adapted for children, will star Martin Koch in the title role alongside Insik Choi as Der Wanderer, Stefan Hadžić as Alberich, Jessica Stavros as Brünnhilde, and Alina Wunderlin as Waldvogel. The opera will feature arrangement by Stefan Berisch, and will be shortened to about seventy minutes in length.

Performance Dates: Nov. 29 – Dec. 29, 2019

Welcome the new year with a concert performance of Franz Lehár’s operetta “Das Land des Lächelns” (“The Land of Smiles”), which will be followed by a celebration with food and dance. Stefan Soltesz will conduct. The cast will include Kristiane Kaiser as Lisa, Miljenko Turk as Graf Gustav Von Pottenstein, Young Woo Kim as Prinz Sou-Chong, Veronika Lee as Mi, Insik Choi as Tschang, and the Chor der Oper Köln.

Performance Dates: Dec. 31, 2019 & Jan. 4, 2020

Dmitri Tcherniakov will direct Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” a production which premiered at La Monnaie in 2012. The cast will feature Scott Hendricks as Il Conte di Luna, Aurelia Florian as Leonora, Marina Prudenskaya as Azucena, Arnold Rutkowski as Manrico, and Giovanni Furlanetto as Ferrando. Will Humburg will conduct.

Performance Dates: Mar. 1 – 29, 2020

Brigitta Gillessen will direct and Rainer Mühlbach will conduct Johannes Hanke’s children’s opera “Der Teufel mit den drei goldenen Haaren,” featuring Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir as Glückskind, Kathrin Zukowski as Prinzessin, and Stefan Hadžić as Teufel, Anführer der Räuber.

Performance Dates: Mar. 8 – Apr. 18, 2020

Rossini’s dramma giocoso “Il Viaggio a Reims” (or “L’Albergo del Giglio d’Oro”) will feature Vuvu Mpofu as Corinna, Adriana Bastidas-Gamboa as Marchesa Melibea, Xabier Anduaga as Conte di Libenskof, Carlo Lepore as Lord Sidney, Lucio Gallo as Don Profondo, Marco Filippo Romano as Barone di Trombonok, Insik Choi as Don Alvaro, Lucas Singer as Don Prudenzio, Anton Kuzenok as Don Luigino, Regina Richter as Delia, Katherin Zukowski as Maddalena, Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir as Modestina, William Goforth as Zefirino/Gelsomino, and Florian Köfler as Antonio. Riccardo Frizza will conduct.

Performance Dates: Mar. 22 & 28, 2020

A co-production with the Opéra Comique Paris, Oper Köln will present Raphaël Pichon, Katie Mitchell, and Cordelia Lynn’s opera “Miranda,” inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and the music of Henry Purcell. Adriana Bastidas-Gamboa stars in the title role. She will be joined by Alastair Miles as Prospero, Emily Hindrichs as Anna, John Heuzenroeder as Le Pasteur, and a soloist of the Knabenchores der Chorakademie Dortmund as Anthony. George Petrou will conduct.

Performance Dates: Apr. 19 – May 13, 2020

Kai Anne Schuhmacher directs Mozart’s “Die Entführung aus dem Serail,” featuring Kathrin Zukowski as Konstanze, William Goforth as Belmonte, Alina Wunderlin as Blonde, Anton Kuzenok as Pedrillo, and Lucas Singer as Osmin. Rainer Mühlbach will conduct.

Performance Dates: May 17 – Jun. 12, 2020

Jean Renshaw directs Berlioz’ “Béatrice et Bénédict.” The cast will include Jenny Daviet as Hero, Isabelle Druet as Béatrice, Miljenko Turk as Claudio, Bernard Richter as Bénédict, Ivan Thirion as Somarone, and the Chor der Oper Köln. François-Xavier Roth will conduct.

Performance Dates: Jun. 7 – Jul. 4, 2020

Repertory Productions

Beka Savic’s production of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Nightingale,” adapted for children with German text by A. Elukhen and B. Feiwel, will feature Alina Wunderlin as the Nightingale, Katherin Zukowski as the Cook, Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger as the Emperor of China, Stefan Hadžić as the Chamberlain, Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir as Death, and Alexander Fedin as the 2nd Japanese Emissary. Rainer Mühlbach will conduct the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln.

Performance Dates: Sept. 29 – Oct. 31, 2019

During “Comedian Harmonists” audiences can enjoy an evening of songs performed by the all-male ensemble Berlin Comedian Harmonists.

Performance Dates: Oct. 8, 2019 – May 20, 2020

Michael Hampe will direct Puccini’s “La Bohème,” starring Ivana Rusko/Eleonora Buratto as Mimi and Sergey Romanovsky/Taejun Sun as Rodolfo. They will be joined by Kathrin Zukowski/Emily Hindrichs as Musetta, Miljenko Turk/Insik Choi as Marcello, Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger/Matthias Hoffman as Schaunard, Tijl Faveyts/Lucas Singer as Colline, Reinhard Dorn as Benoit, Donato Di Stefano as Alcindoro, William Goforth as Parpignol, the Chor der Oper Köln, and the Kölner Domchores. Constantin Trinks will conduct.

Performance Dates: Dec. 21, 2019 – Jan. 19, 2020

Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte,” adapted for children, will be directed by Brigitta Gillessen and conducted by Rainer Mühlbach. The cast will include William Goforth/Anton Kuzenok as Tamino, Kathrin Zukowski/Claudia Rohrbach as Pamina/Zweite Dame, Lukáš Bařák/Stefan Hadžić as Papageno, Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir/Judith Thielsen as Dritte Dame, Anton Kuzenok/William Goforth as Monostatos, and Alexander Fedin as Priester.

Performance Dates: Jan. 11 – Feb. 1, 2020

Lydia Steier will direct Puccini’s “Turandot,” starring Anna Smirnova/Catherine Foster in the title role alongside Stefano La Colla/Leonardo Caimi as Calaf, Ivana Rusko as Liù, and Nikolay Didenko/Lucas Singer as Timur. Rounding out the cast are Alexander Fedin as Altoum, Insik Choi/Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger as Ping, John Heuzenroeder/Anton Kuzenok as Pang, Young Woo Kim as Pong, and Matthias Hoffmann as A Mandarin.

Performance Dates: Mar. 15 – Apr. 13, 2020

Peter Kien’s one-act spiel “Der Kaiser von Atlantis” (or “Die Tod-Verweigerung”), with music by Viktor Ullmann, will be directed by Eike Ecker. The cast will feature Insik Choi as Kaiser Overall, Lucas Singer as Der Lautsprecher/Der Tod, Martin Koch as Harlekin, Dino Lüthy as Ein Soldat, Claudia Rohrbach as Bubikopf, and Regina Richter as Der Trommler. Arne Willimczik will conduct.

Performance Dates: Apr. 18 – May 3, 2020

Petra Luisa Meyer will direct Johann Strauß’ operetta “Die Fledermaus,” featuring Paul Armin Edelmann as Gabriel Von Eisenstein, Natalie Karl as Rosalinde, Bjarni Thor Kristinsson/Oliver Zwarg as Frank, Kangmin Justin Kim as Prinz Orlofsky, Dino Lüthy as Alfred, Miljenko as Dr. Falke, Jan Rusko as Dr. Blind, Claudia Rohrbach as Adele, Maike Raschke as Ida, Fausto Israel as Ivan, and the Chor der Oper Köln. Alfred Eschwé will conduct.

Performance Dates: Apr. 26 – May 22, 2020

Oper Köln will present Frank Engel’s children’s opera “Pin Kaiser und Fip Husar.”

Performance Dates: Jun. 6 & 20, 2020

Carlus Padrissa will direct Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s “Die Soldaten.” The opera will feature Frank Von Hove as Wesener, Emily Hindrichs as Marie, Judith Thielsen as Charlotte, Kismara Pessatti as Weseners alte Mutter, Thomas Oliemans as Stolzius, Dalia Schaechter as Stolzius’ Mutter, Miroslav Stricevic as Obrist, Martin Koch as Desportes, John Heuzenroeder as Pirzel, Oliver Zwarg as Eisenhardt, Insik Choi as Haudy, Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger as Mary, Young Woo Kim/Anton Kuzenok/Dino Lüthy as Drei Junge Offiziere, Sharon Kempton as Die Gräfin de la Roche, Alexander Kaimbacher as Der Junge Graf, Katerina Giannakopoulou as Andalusierin, Alexander Abad Gonzalez/Adrián Castelló/Charles de Moura as Drei Fähnriche, Silke Natho as Madame Roux, Alexander Fedin as Der Bediente der Gräfin de la Roche, Jan Rusko as Der junge Fähnrich, Stefan Hadžić as Der Betrunkene Offizier, Heiko Köpke/Carsten Mainz/Anthony Sandle as Drei Hauptleute, and members of the Chor der Oper Köln. François-Xavier Roth will conduct.

Performance Dates: Jun. 14 – Jul. 5, 2020