The Theater Essen has announced its 2021-22 season.

The season opens with “Rigoletto,” conducted by Tianyi Lu and directed by Frank Hilbirch. The opera will star Fabián Lara, Ivan Krutikov, and Tamara Banjesevic.

Performance Date:  Sept. 12 – Nov. 1, 2021

Next up will be “La Finta Giardiniera” starring Richard Samek, Giulia Montanari, Dmitry Ivanchey, Sophia Brommer, Bettina Ranch, Christina Clark, and Tobias Greenhalgh. Tomás Netopil conducts a production directed by Ondrej Havelka.

Performance Dates: Oct. 2 – Dec. 22, 202 

“Der Freischütz” will be conducted by Yoel Gamzou and directed by Tatjana Gürbaca. The opera stars Tobias Greenhalgh, Rebecca Davis, and Karel Martin Ludvik.

Performance Date:  Oct. 9 – Nov. 14, 2021

Offenbach’s “Auf ihr Wohl, Herr Blumenkohl” will be conducted by Freidrich Haider and directed by Bruno Klimek. The opera will star Giulia Montanari, Karl-Heinz Lehner, Dmitry Ivanchey, and Rainer Maria Röhr, among others.

Performance Date: Nov. 7 – Dec. 31, 2021

Hila Fahima will headline “Lucia di Lammermoor” alongside Ivan Krutikov, Carlos Cardoso, Dmitry Ivanchey, and Baurzhan Anderzhanov. Giuseppe Finzi conducts a production by Dietrich W. Hilsdorf.

Performance Dates: Nov. 27, 2021 – Jan. 28, 2022 

“Yesterdate Ein Rendezvous Mit den 60ern” will be conducted by Heribert Feckler and directed by Marie-Helen Joël. The work will star Christina Clark, Marie-Helen Joël, Brigite Oelke, and Thomas Hohler, among others.

Performance Date:  Dec. 9, 2021 – Jan. 15, 2022

Puccini’s “La Bohème” will be directed by Silviu Purcarete and conducted by Matteo Beltrami. The work will feature Carlos Cardoso, Tobias Greenhalgh, Heiko Trinsinger, Mercy Malieloa, and Jessica Muirhead.

Performance Date:  Dec. 17 & 26, 2021

Jessica Muirhead, Tobias Greenhalgh, Giulia Montanari, Christina Clark, Bettina Ranch, and Albrecht Kludszuweit headline Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas.” Andrea Sanguineti conducts the production by Ben Baur.

Performance Dates: Jan. 2-16, 2022

Roberto Rizzi Brignoli conducts “Il Triticco.” “Il Tabarro” stars Almas Svilpa, Sergey Polyakov, and Annemarie Kremer while “Suor Angelica” will be headlined by Jessica Muirhead and Bettina Ranch. Finally, Seth Carico will take on the title role of “Gianni Schicchi” alongside Lilian Farahani and Carlos Cardoso, among others.

Performance Dates: Jan. 22 & 30, 2022

“Bluebeard’s Castle” will be conducted by Gábor Káli and directed by Paul-Georg Dittrich.

Performance Dates: Feb. 19, 2022

Frieder Haider conducts a production of “Don Carlo” directed by Robert Carsen.

Performance Dates: March 12, 2022 

Scarlatti’s “Kain und Abel oder der erste Mord” will be conducted by Rubén Dubrovsky and directed by Dietrich W. Hilsdorf.

Performance Date:  March 26, 2022

Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” will be conducted by Tomás Netopil and directed by Stefan Herheim.

Performance Date:  April 17, 2022

Tomás Netopil conducts “Arabella” in a production by Guy Joosten.

Performance Dates: May 14, 2022

Finally, “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” will be conducted by Lorenzo Passerini and directed by Jan Philipp Gloger.

Performance Date:  May 20, 2022