On Thursday, March 2, 2017, Intendant and General Music Director Prof. Ulf Schirmer introduced the entire 2017/18 season. Joining him were Opera Director Franziska Severin, Ballet Director and Principal Choreographer Mario Schröder, and Torsten Rose, Managing Director of the Musikalische Komödie.
The coming season boasts 15 premieres: six operas at the Opera House, four new programs by Leipziger Ballet, and five new productions at the Musikalische Komödie. They will join 40 other works in the Oper Leipzig’s complete active repertoire.
From August 2017 to July 2018, the Oper Leipzig will present nearly 360 events: the upcoming season features opera, light opera, operetta, musical, and classic ballet and modern dance. But that’s not all. Audiences can look forward to special events – like the New Year’s Eve Gala and a concert by Leipzig’s own Die Prinzen – and numerous collaborations with other local cultural institutions – such as the Museum der bildenden Künste (Museum of Fine Arts) or the Schauspiel Leipzig (Leipzig’s playhouse) – and with the city’s Freie Szene (independent arts scene) In addition, the Oper Leipzig will present smaller-scale performances in and around the city’s architectural highlights and urban spaces. Numerous offerings for young adults and families, along with specialized productions for children, round out the program.
OPER – CELEBRATORY SEASON »325 YEARS OF OPERA IN LEIPZIG«
The Oper Leipzig’s mission to establish Wagner as a central pillar of its programming continues with the premiere of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser in March 2018. This new production also puts the Oper Leipzig one step closer to successively adding all the works of this son of Leipzig to its repertoire. After successfully collaborating with the Bayreuth Festival (BF Medien) on Wagner’s early works during the 2013 Wagner Year, the director of the Bayreuth Festival, Katharina Wagner, will stage direct for the first time at Leipzig’s Opera House. Der Ring des Nibelungen will be show in three cyclic performances in January, April, and May of 2018. The May Cycle will take place on four consecutive days. Musical direction for the Oper Leipzig’s Wagner and Strauss repertoire is in the capable hands of Intendant and General Music Director Ulf Schirmer.
The Oper Leipzig will celebrate „325 Years of Opera in Leipzig“ from June 15-17, 2018, with a festive weekend centered around the premiere of Alban Berg‘s Lulu. Lotte de Beer, one of the most sought-after directors of her generation, is at the helm of this 20th century classic. The festivities will kick off with a performance by the incomparable Max Raabe, whose interpretations of Weimar-era hits is second to none. This mini-festival closes with a performance of the new ballet production of Boléro/ Le Sacre du Printemps.
Once again, the Oper Leipzig will present a Strauss Weekend on October 14-15, 2017. In addition to performances of Salome and Enoch Arden (Strauss’ melodrama for narrator and piano), Brigitte Fassbaender – the General Director of the Richard Strauss Festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen – will present a master class.
The opera season opens on September 20, 2017 with a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s grand historical drama Don Carlo, directed by Jakob Peters-Messer. This counterpoint to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation stars Gaston Rivero, a pupil of Plácido Domingo, as Carlos, a tragic figure whose life mirrors the conflicting influences of love, power, and politics in a world under the Catholic Church’s authority. A fairytale world of water sprites, princes, and witches takes the stage with the premiere of Antonín Dvorˇáks Rusalka on December 3, 2017. Michiel Dijkema, who made magic with his productions of Tosca and Faust, directs. In April 2018, Leipzig’s own Philipp J. Neumann directs Béla Bartóks Bluebeard’s Castle. This one-act opera will be paired with Anthony Pilavachi’s 2015 production of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. The Oper Leipzig celebrates the 2017 Monteverdi Year with a co-production of Au revoir, Euridice with the Schaubühne Lindenfels in Leipzig. The world premiere takes place on September 2; this music-theater production is based on Monteverdi’s Orpheo, the first opera ever composed.
LEIPZIGER BALLETTFOCUS ON THE REFORMATION
Tradition and progress are the Leipziger Ballet’s guiding tenets. In the 2017/18 season, the Company will perform three central works of the core repertoire. The Passion of St. John by Johann Sebastian Bach (the most famous Thomas-kantor) is a living piece of Leipzig’s musical history. Stage directors and choreographers alike have long recognized this oratorio’s theatricality. Ballet director and head choreographer Mario Schröder interprets this work as part of the 2017 Reformation anniversary. The premiere will take place on October 27, 2017.
Two central works of the 20th century appear in a two-part ballet evening: Johan Inger’s choreography to Ravel’s Boléro is presented alongside the world premiere of Mario Schröder’s choreography to Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps. And on the heels of The Nutcracker’s success, Peter Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake joins the Company’s dramatic ballet repertoire in May 2018.
The 2017/18 draws to a close for the ballet with a cooperation between the Company and the Schauspiel Leipzig. TOOT!, set to music by Schnittke and Shostakovich, and with choreography by Dutch choreographer Didy Veldman, premieres at the Schauspiel Leipzig in June 2018. 3
MUSIKALISCHE KOMÖDIE – EUROPEAN PREMIERE AND CHERISHING LORTZING
In addition to the classics of the operetta and musical repertoire, the Musikalische Komödie’s directorial staff continues its discovery of unknown works by well-known masters. The next piece in this series is Die große Sünderin by Eduard Künneke, better known for composing Der Vetter aus Dingsda.
The works of Albert Lortzing – one of Leipzig’s native composers – are a regular feature at the Musikalische Komödie. On June 2, 2018, Lortzing’s opera Casanova bows for the first time at the Haus Dreilinden; it celebrated its first premiere at Leipzig’s Altes Theater in 1841.
In addition, the Musikalische Komödie was able to win the performing rights for the European premiere of the musical Doctor Zhivago. Based on the novel by Boris Pasternak, this enchanting musical has already been seen in Sydney, Seoul, and on Broadway. It premieres in Leipzig on January 27, 2018.
The Musikalische Komödie has a number of attractive offers for younger audiences in the coming season. On March 23, 2018, the Ballet of the Musikalische Komödie takes the main stage at Haus Dreilinden with Alice in Wonderland, set to music by Elgar, Offenbach, and Stravinsky.
And in May 2018, the Orchestra of the Musikalischen Komödie and the Oper Leipzig Children’s Chorus present Judith Wier’s The Black Spider at the Schaubühne Lindenfels. Last but certainly not least, the Musikalische Komödie plays host once more to the Deutscher Musikrat’s annual Operetta Workshop. This year, young conductors will show their stuff with Korngold’s Lied der Liebe.
In recent years, the Oper Leipzig and the pop band Die Prinzen have become something of an odd couple in Leipzig’s music scene. And in November 2017, the seven-member Leipzig ensemble shares the stage for the first time with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under the direction of Intendant and General Music Director Ulf Schirmer. In February and March of 2018, the Orchestra of the Musikalische Komödie will go on tour with the pop stars, appearing together in eight cities – including a stop in Hamburg’s new Elbphilharmonie.
SERVICE
Tickets are available at the Opera House Box Office, at +49 (0)314 1261261 (Mon.-Sat. 10 am – 7 pm), via email at: service@oper-leipzig.de or online at www.oper-leipzig.de
The coming season boasts 15 premieres: six operas at the Opera House, four new programs by Leipziger Ballet, and five new productions at the Musikalische Komödie. They will join 40 other works in the Oper Leipzig’s complete active repertoire.
From August 2017 to July 2018, the Oper Leipzig will present nearly 360 events: the upcoming season features opera, light opera, operetta, musical, and classic ballet and modern dance. But that’s not all. Audiences can look forward to special events – like the New Year’s Eve Gala and a concert by Leipzig’s own Die Prinzen – and numerous collaborations with other local cultural institutions – such as the Museum der bildenden Künste (Museum of Fine Arts) or the Schauspiel Leipzig (Leipzig’s playhouse) – and with the city’s Freie Szene (independent arts scene) In addition, the Oper Leipzig will present smaller-scale performances in and around the city’s architectural highlights and urban spaces. Numerous offerings for young adults and families, along with specialized productions for children, round out the program.
OPER – CELEBRATORY SEASON »325 YEARS OF OPERA IN LEIPZIG«
The Oper Leipzig’s mission to establish Wagner as a central pillar of its programming continues with the premiere of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser in March 2018. This new production also puts the Oper Leipzig one step closer to successively adding all the works of this son of Leipzig to its repertoire. After successfully collaborating with the Bayreuth Festival (BF Medien) on Wagner’s early works during the 2013 Wagner Year, the director of the Bayreuth Festival, Katharina Wagner, will stage direct for the first time at Leipzig’s Opera House. Der Ring des Nibelungen will be show in three cyclic performances in January, April, and May of 2018. The May Cycle will take place on four consecutive days. Musical direction for the Oper Leipzig’s Wagner and Strauss repertoire is in the capable hands of Intendant and General Music Director Ulf Schirmer.
The Oper Leipzig will celebrate „325 Years of Opera in Leipzig“ from June 15-17, 2018, with a festive weekend centered around the premiere of Alban Berg‘s Lulu. Lotte de Beer, one of the most sought-after directors of her generation, is at the helm of this 20th century classic. The festivities will kick off with a performance by the incomparable Max Raabe, whose interpretations of Weimar-era hits is second to none. This mini-festival closes with a performance of the new ballet production of Boléro/ Le Sacre du Printemps.
Once again, the Oper Leipzig will present a Strauss Weekend on October 14-15, 2017. In addition to performances of Salome and Enoch Arden (Strauss’ melodrama for narrator and piano), Brigitte Fassbaender – the General Director of the Richard Strauss Festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen – will present a master class.
The opera season opens on September 20, 2017 with a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s grand historical drama Don Carlo, directed by Jakob Peters-Messer. This counterpoint to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation stars Gaston Rivero, a pupil of Plácido Domingo, as Carlos, a tragic figure whose life mirrors the conflicting influences of love, power, and politics in a world under the Catholic Church’s authority. A fairytale world of water sprites, princes, and witches takes the stage with the premiere of Antonín Dvorˇáks Rusalka on December 3, 2017. Michiel Dijkema, who made magic with his productions of Tosca and Faust, directs. In April 2018, Leipzig’s own Philipp J. Neumann directs Béla Bartóks Bluebeard’s Castle. This one-act opera will be paired with Anthony Pilavachi’s 2015 production of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. The Oper Leipzig celebrates the 2017 Monteverdi Year with a co-production of Au revoir, Euridice with the Schaubühne Lindenfels in Leipzig. The world premiere takes place on September 2; this music-theater production is based on Monteverdi’s Orpheo, the first opera ever composed.
LEIPZIGER BALLETTFOCUS ON THE REFORMATION
Tradition and progress are the Leipziger Ballet’s guiding tenets. In the 2017/18 season, the Company will perform three central works of the core repertoire. The Passion of St. John by Johann Sebastian Bach (the most famous Thomas-kantor) is a living piece of Leipzig’s musical history. Stage directors and choreographers alike have long recognized this oratorio’s theatricality. Ballet director and head choreographer Mario Schröder interprets this work as part of the 2017 Reformation anniversary. The premiere will take place on October 27, 2017.
Two central works of the 20th century appear in a two-part ballet evening: Johan Inger’s choreography to Ravel’s Boléro is presented alongside the world premiere of Mario Schröder’s choreography to Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps. And on the heels of The Nutcracker’s success, Peter Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake joins the Company’s dramatic ballet repertoire in May 2018.
The 2017/18 draws to a close for the ballet with a cooperation between the Company and the Schauspiel Leipzig. TOOT!, set to music by Schnittke and Shostakovich, and with choreography by Dutch choreographer Didy Veldman, premieres at the Schauspiel Leipzig in June 2018. 3
MUSIKALISCHE KOMÖDIE – EUROPEAN PREMIERE AND CHERISHING LORTZING
In addition to the classics of the operetta and musical repertoire, the Musikalische Komödie’s directorial staff continues its discovery of unknown works by well-known masters. The next piece in this series is Die große Sünderin by Eduard Künneke, better known for composing Der Vetter aus Dingsda.
The works of Albert Lortzing – one of Leipzig’s native composers – are a regular feature at the Musikalische Komödie. On June 2, 2018, Lortzing’s opera Casanova bows for the first time at the Haus Dreilinden; it celebrated its first premiere at Leipzig’s Altes Theater in 1841.
In addition, the Musikalische Komödie was able to win the performing rights for the European premiere of the musical Doctor Zhivago. Based on the novel by Boris Pasternak, this enchanting musical has already been seen in Sydney, Seoul, and on Broadway. It premieres in Leipzig on January 27, 2018.
The Musikalische Komödie has a number of attractive offers for younger audiences in the coming season. On March 23, 2018, the Ballet of the Musikalische Komödie takes the main stage at Haus Dreilinden with Alice in Wonderland, set to music by Elgar, Offenbach, and Stravinsky.
And in May 2018, the Orchestra of the Musikalischen Komödie and the Oper Leipzig Children’s Chorus present Judith Wier’s The Black Spider at the Schaubühne Lindenfels. Last but certainly not least, the Musikalische Komödie plays host once more to the Deutscher Musikrat’s annual Operetta Workshop. This year, young conductors will show their stuff with Korngold’s Lied der Liebe.
In recent years, the Oper Leipzig and the pop band Die Prinzen have become something of an odd couple in Leipzig’s music scene. And in November 2017, the seven-member Leipzig ensemble shares the stage for the first time with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under the direction of Intendant and General Music Director Ulf Schirmer. In February and March of 2018, the Orchestra of the Musikalische Komödie will go on tour with the pop stars, appearing together in eight cities – including a stop in Hamburg’s new Elbphilharmonie.
SERVICE
Tickets are available at the Opera House Box Office, at +49 (0)314 1261261 (Mon.-Sat. 10 am – 7 pm), via email at: service@oper-leipzig.de or online at www.oper-leipzig.de
