Based on Hogarth's series of prints, "The Rake's Progress" combines the eighteenth century with the twentieth. The highly individualized set of this production, designed by David Hockney, reflects perfectly the "spikiness" of the music, combined with…

Richard Strauss’s Elektra was the sensation that ushered in modernity by at the same time popularizing it. Heroes on the verge of madness, just what the audience loves! The world comes tumbling down upon us, specifically here: the Straussian…

On the island of Ceylon, two pearl fishermen and childhood friends are torn apart by their love for the same woman, the young priestess Leïla. In this opera, which marks his debut, Bizet delivers luminous, tender music with a subtle Oriental flavour…

Ludwigburg's Festival Orchestra, conducted by Wolfgang Gönnenwein, performs Mozart's romantic comedy "Cosi fan tutte" with much attention to details. The Russian director Dmitri Bertman presents this opera as a fantastic journey through different…

With "Alcina" Wieler shows how modern Händel can be. The production is fascinating, conclusive and full of eroticism. Helene Schneidermann is absolutly overwhelming as Ruggiero's fiancée and the brilliant soprano Catherine Naglestad is more blissful…

Rossini's popular work - which was first performed in 1816 at the Teatro Argentina in Rome - contains some of opera's most tuneful and recognizable music - from its lively overture to Figaro's Largo al factotum to Rosina's Una voce poco fa. Based on…

Das Rheingold is the prologue to Wagner's Ring cycle, and opens up the rich world of gods, dwarves, giants, dragons and humans that the story inhabits. With beautiful orchestration and an unerring sense of the dramatic, the first opera explains how…

Die Walküre continues the story of the Rhinedaughters' gold, the Ring of power which was forged from it, and the curse which falls on ist owner. The action moves to the earth - where Siegmund and Sieglinde, the mortal children of Wotan, are…

The third part of the Ring cycle focuses on Siegfried, the child of Sieglinde and Siegmund. His upbringing has been wild end free, and he has never learned the meaning of fear. As he struggles to break free from his past and to forge his own destiny…

The final opera of the Ring cycle tells the story of how the ring and its curse brings the downfall of the Gods and a tragic and to the love of Siegfried and Brünnhilde. As Brünnhilde's death becomes an act of redemption for the gods and for all…