Today : world première of 'The Snow Queen' by Samuel Penderbayne in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper Berlin presents the world première of Die Schneekönigin (The Snow Queen), a children opera composed by Samuel Penderbayne with a libretto by Christian Schönfelder based on Christian Andersen's tale.

It is the composer's second opera after I.th.Ak.A (Hamburg, April 6, 2018).

Gerda and Kay are best friends. Yet when Kay gets a splinter in his eye, everything changes in an instant. He finds Gerda and his other friends childish, plain and silly, and follows the enticing voice of the icily beautiful Snow Queen. Now Gerda sets off, and while she searches for Kay she finds herself: in the eerily beautiful realm of the Flower Queen, the humdrum golden court of the Princess, the dangerous and dark cave of the Robber Queen, she learns to stand up for herself and her friends. With help from the Crow and the Reindeer she finally finds the way to the cold north of Lapland, and is able to free Kay from the Snow Queen's clutches with the true power of friendship – laughter. (reproduced from the Deutsche Oper Berlin website)

The cast includes soprano Sophia Körber, soprano Theresa Pilsl, mezzo Marlene Gaßner and baritone Martin Gerke. They are accompanied by five musicians including a clarinet, a tuba and a synthesiser. Brigitte Dethier directs.

The performance should last 70 minutes. No interval. The venue is the Tischlerei.

Today : world première of 'Heart Chamber' by Chaya Czernowin in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper Berlin presents the world première of Heart Chamber, an opera composed by Chaya Czernowin with her own libretto in English.

It is the composer's fifth opera after, among others, Pnima... ins Innere (Munich, May 10, 2000), Zaïde / Adama (Salzburg, August 17, 2006) and Infinite now (Antwerp, April 18, 2017).

The opera is conducting an 'examination of love' in the 21st century, addressing the romantic sense of love with doubt and destruction while hoping for a utopia of love. At the centre is a loving relationship between two people and the forces that result from it : they alternate between attraction and repulsion, between the longing to melt into one another and the desire for independence. (reproduced from the Deutsche Oper Berlin website)

The cast includes soprano Patrizia Ciofi (She), baritone Dietrich Henschel (He), contralto Noa Frenkel (Her Internal Voice) and countertenor Terry Wey (His Internal Voice). Johannes Kalitzke conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsche Oper Berlin as well as the soloists of the Ensemble Nikel. Claus Guth directs.

The performance should last 90 minutes. No interval.

Today : world première of 'Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver' by Elena Kats-Chernin in Berlin

Today, the Komische Oper Berlin presents the world première of Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer (Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver), a children's opera in two acts composed by Elena Kats-Chernin with a libretto in German by Susanne Felicitas Wolf based on Michael Ende's book.

Elena Kats-Chernin has already composed several operas for children, including Schneewittchen und die 77 Zwerge (Berlin, Komische Oper, November 1, 2015).

Because the island of Morrowland with its two mountains has become too small for its four inhabitants (including the king), Luke and the orphan Jim are forced to venture into the outside world. On their marvelous journey they discover foreign lands, overcome many dangers, and rescue Princess Li Si from the clutches of the terrible dragon woman, Mrs. Grindtooth. After gathering many new experiences, they return together to their homeland, bringing with them a new, floating island in tow. (reproduced from the Komische Oper Berlin website)

The cast includes soprano Georgina Melville (Jim Knopf), bass Philipp Meierhöfer (Lukas), baritone Dominik Köninger (King Alfred the Quarter-to-Twelfth / Nepomuk / Big Wig Pi Pa Po) and mezzo Christiane Oertel (Mrs. Waas / Mrs. Grindtooth). Ivo Hentschel conducts the Orchestra and Children Chorus of the Komische Oper. Christian von Götz directs.

Two new programme books in my collection : Eggert and Holten

I have recently received two programme books for two new operas :

- Moritz Eggert : M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder, Berlin (Komische Oper), May 5, 2019 ;
- Bo Holten : Schlagt sie tot !, Malmö, May 11, 2019.

The first one is a 40 pages book. It contains :

- characters and orchestral setting ;
- synopsis ;
- Ulrich Lenz : 90 Minuten Achterbahnfahrt, dialogue with director Barrie Kosky and composer Moritz Eggert ;
- Ulrich Lenz : Und mit mir rennen die Gespenster, Psychogramm eines (vermeintlichen ?) Mörders ;
- synopsis in English, French and Turkish ;
- several colour photos of the piano dress rehearsal (April 25).

There is a separate 6 pages leaflet with the complete cast and crew for the first performance.

The book is entirely in German.

The second one is a 66 pages book. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- Catarina Ek : En värld i förändring (A Changing World) ;
- Persongalleri : short biographies of historical characters with their portraits and headshots of singers playing their roles (Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Georg Spalatin, Lucas Cranach, Erasmus, among others) ;
- detailed synopsis ;
- Eva Sommestad Holten : Förändringens eld - Tankar bakom texten till 'Schlagt sie tot !' (Fire of Change - Thoughts behind the text of 'Schlagt sie tot !') ;
- Bo Holten : Om musiken i 'Schlagt sie tot !' (About the music of 'Schlagt sie tot !') ;
- Eva Sommestad Holten : Luthers värld - En översikt (Luther's world - an overview) ;
- Eva Sommestad Holten : Musiken som Guds verktyg (Music as God's instrument) ;
- Arne Järtelius : Luther som antisemit (Luther as antisemit) ;
- Arne Järtelius : 500 år med Luther i Sverige (500 years with Luther in Sweden) ;
- biographies of artists with black and white headshots ;
- synopsis in English ;
- several colour photos of rehearsals.

The book is entirely in Swedish.

I now have 680 programme books for contemporary operas in my collection. I have scanned the covers and uploaded the images to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'M' by Moritz Eggert in Berlin

Today, the Komische Oper in Berlin presents the world première of M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (M - A City searches for a Murderer), an opera in one act composed by Moritz Eggert with a libretto by Barrie Kosky and Ulrich Lenz based on Fritz Lang's film and using poems by Walter Mehring.

Moritz Eggert has already composed several works the stage, including All diese Tage (Bremen, April 28, 2012), Terra Nova (Linz, May 26, 2016) and Caliban (Amsterdam, March 25, 2017).

The city is up in arms! A serial murderer is on the loose. Several girls have already been found dead. Under great pressure and using all the means at their disposal, the police search for the culprit. And the city’s criminals are also keeping busy, as the increased police activities – which involve raids and house-to-house searches – is bad for business in every sense. And so the murderer, ultimately a victim of his own sick urges, is pursued, hunted and driven to madness by all the city’s thieves, burglars, whores, fences, beggars and con artists. (reproduced from the Komische Oper website)

The cast includes baritone Scott Hendricks (M. the Murderer), soprano Alma Sadé and tenor Tansel Akzeybek. Ainars Rubikis conducts the Orchestra and the Children Chorus of the Komische Oper. Barrie Kosky directs.

The score is published by Sikorski. The required orchestra is the following :

- 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, 1 tenor saxophone, 1 bassoon ;
- 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- timpani, percussion (2 players), electric guitar, electric bass guitar, 3 keyboards, accordion, celesta (doubling organ and harpsichord) ;
- strings (6.6.4.3.2).

(reproduced from the Sikorski website)

Received this morning : programme book for 'Oceane' by Detlev Glanert

This Friday morning, I have received the programme book published by the Deutsche Oper Berlin for the world première of Oceane by Detlev Glanert.

The opera was first performed in Berlin on April 28, 2019.

It is a 56 pages book. It contains :

- synopsis ;
- Kerstin Schüssler-Bach : Sommerliche Abgründe - Zur Musik von Detlev Glanerts 'Oceane' ;
- Jörg Königsdorf : Gefangen in der Unfähigkeit zu lieben, dialogue with the composer ;
- several colour photos of the piano dress rehearsal on April 17, by Bernd Uhlig ;
- Katharina Duda : Der Dichter und seine Nixe - Theodor und Martha Fontane ;
- Robert Carsen : Gedanken zu 'Oceane' ;
- Ian Burton : Ein altes Thema in neuem Gewand.

The entire book is in German. There is an English translation of the synopsis at the end of the book.

There is a separate 8 pages leaflet with the complete cast for the first performance, with biographies of the artists.

I now have 651 programme books for contemporary operas in my collection. I have scanned all the covers and uploaded the images to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'Oceane' by Detlev Glanert in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin presents the world première of Oceane, an opera in two acts composed by Detlev Glanert, with a libretto in German by Hans-Ulrich Treichel based on Theodor Fontane's Oceane von Parceval. 

(c) Bettina Stoess

Detlev Glanert has already composed several operas, including Joseph Süß (Bremen, 1999), Caligula (Frankfurt, 2006) and Solaris (Bregenz, 2012).

Oceane von Parceval is an attempt to encapsulate in the form of Melusine the sense of menace and fascination felt by a bourgeois, male-dominated society faced with femininity coupled with an archaic, erotically permissive artlessness. Oceane’s inability to sympathise with human destinies serves to amplify her alien nature. She is indifferent to death and love alike, and as such her attempt to have a relationship with a young landowner, Martin von Dircksen, is doomed to failure. (reproduced from the Boosey & Hawkes website)

The cast includes soprano Maria Bengtsson (Oceane von Parceval), tenor Nikolai Schukoff (Martin von Dircksen), baritone Christoph Pohl (Dr Albert Felgentreu), soprano Nicole Haslett (Kristina), bass Albert Pesendorfer (Pastor Baltzer) and mezzo Doris Soffel (Madame Louise). Donald Runnicles conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Robert Carsen directs.

The required orchestra is the following (reproduced from the publisher's website):

- 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 1 English horn, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons ;
- 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- percussions (3) ;
- 2 harps, celesta and strings.

The performance should last 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one interval.

The score is published by Boosey & Hawkes.

Two new programme books from Berlin and Luxembourg

I have recently received two programme books for contemporary operas :

- Alexandre Desplat, En Silence, Luxembourg, February 26, 2019 ;
- Jörg Widmann, Babylon, Berlin (Staatsoper Unter den Linden), March 9, 2019.

The first one is a 48 pages book. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- Alexandre Desplat : Mot du compositeur ;
- Solrey : Note de la metteure en scène, vidéaste ;
- complete libretto (only in French) ;
- biographies of the artists (only in French).

The book is bilingual : French and English.

The second one is a 96 pages book. It contains :

- Synopsis ;
- Roman Reeger : Jedes Arbeiten über Babylon ist auch immer Grabungsarbeit (Interview of composer Jörg Widmann) ;
- Roman Reeger : Eine Welt des Wahns (Interview of director Andreas Kriegenburg) ;
- Florian Henri Besthorn : Hereinspaziert nach Babylon, hier gibt's die ganze Welt ;
- Peter Sloterdijk : Notizen zu Babylon : excerpts of Zeilen und Tage and Neue Zeilen und Tage ;
- Eva Horn : Die romantische Verdunklung ;
- Stefan Maul : Religion in Babylon ;
- Christoph Türcke : Das Opferritual ;
- Jan Assmann : Identität und Gewalt ;
- Arno Declair : color photos of the production (February 27, 2019) ;
- complete cast and crew for the world première.

The book is entirely in German. There is a separate 8 pages leaflet with the complete cast and crew for the first performance, a separate 36 pages booklet with biographies of the artists and a 44 pages booklet with the complete libretto.

I already had in my collection the programme book for world première performance of the original version (Munich, October 27, 2012).

I now have 650 programme books for contemporary operas. I have scanned all the covers and uploaded the images to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'Babylon' (new version) by Jörg Widmann in Berlin

Today, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin presents the world première of the new version of Babylon, an opera composed by Jörg Widmann, with a libretto by Peter Sloterdijk.

It is the composer's second opera after Das Gesicht im Spiegel (Munich, July 17th, 2003). The original version was first performed in Munich on October 27, 2012.

Jörg Widmann’s Babylon deals with the boundaries of language, and indeed of linguistic confusion. The composer places the multicultural society of the pre-ancient, culturally advanced metropolis of Babylon at the centre of his opera. It is not only the Babylonians who move between chaos and order, but also the Jewish exile Tammu, who forsakes his erstwhile love, the Soul, to turn instead to the Babylonian priestess of war and free love, Inanna. When a human sacrifice is called for to appease the gods who once punished the people of Babylon with the Flood, the Priest-King chooses Tammu. After Tammu is executed, Inanna decides to go down into the underworld to convince its ruler, Death, to allow her lover to return to the world of the living. Finally, a new covenant is made between the gods and the people, and order is – at least temporarily – restored. (reproduced from the Staatsoper Berlin website)

The cast includes soprano Mojca Erdmann (The Soul), tenor Charles Workman (Tammu), soprano Susanne Elmark (Inanna), bass John Tomlinson (The Priest King), mezzo Marina Prudenskaya (The Euphrates) and countertenor Andrew Watts (The Scorpion Human). Daniel Barenboim conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin and the Staatsopernchor. Andreas Kriegenburg directs.

The required orchestra is the following (reproduced from the Schott Music website) :

- 4 flutes, 4 oboes, 4 clarintes, 4 bassoons ;
- 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- timpani and percussions (4 players) ;
- 2 harps, celesta, accordion, piano, organ ;
- strings : 14.12.10.8.8.

The performance should last about 2 hours and 40 minutes, including interval. The score is published by Schott Music.

New programme book in my collection : 'Violetter Schnee' by Beat Furrer in Berlin

Last Saturday, I have received in the mail the programme book published by the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin for the world première performance of Beat Furrer's opera Violetter Schnee, on January 13th, 2019.

It is a 108 pages book. It contains :

- synopsis, in German and English ;
- Das Ende kann nur offen sein : discussion with composer Beat Furrer, librettist Händl Klaus and dramaturges Yvonne Gebauer and Roman Reeger ;
- Yvonne Gebauer : ... ein Übergang zu etwas vollkommen neuem., dialogue with director Claus Guth ;
- Bertram Kaschek : Die weisse Falle, about Pieter Bruegel's painting Die Jäger im Schnee ;
- Marie Luise Maintz : Spiel ohne Grenzen, about Furrer's Violetter Schnee ;
- Sascha Gebauer : Wo schimmernden Schnee die alles erleuchtende Sonne zwingt, notice about Furrer's Violetter Schnee ;
- black and white photos by Florian Ruiz (The White Contamination) ;
- short excerpts of works by Thomas Lehr, Günther Anders, Jacques Derrida, Boris Groys, Christoph Ransmayr, William Carlos Williams, Robert Musil, Zbigniew Herbert and Mark Strand ;
- complete libretto ;
- production team and cast for the première.

The book is entirely in German. Only the synopsis is also available in English.

With the book, there is a 8 pages leaflet with the complete cast and crew, a 20 pages booklet with biographies and a 28 pages booklet with color photos (by Monika Rittershaus) of the dress rehearsal with piano on January 7.

I now have 612 programme books for contemporary operas. I have scanned all the covers and uploaded them to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of 'Violetter Schnee' by Beat Furrer in Berlin

Today, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin presents the world première of Violetter Schnee (Violet Snow), an opera composed by Beat Furrer with a libretto in German by Händl Klaus based on a work by Vladimir Sorokin translated by Dorothea Trottenberg.

(c) Dimitri Papageorgiou

It is the composer's 8th opera, after Die Blinden (Vienna, 1989), Narcissus (Graz, 1994), Invocation (Zurich, 2003), Wüstenbuch (Basel, 2010) and La bianca notte (Hamburg, 2015).

The world is in a state of emergency. Five people are trapped in perpetual snowdrifts. Time appears to stand still. Will this ever end ? Jacques remains apart in the middle of the group, affirming the snowfall and the nothingness that he dedicates himself to – by holding a dialogue with the snow in agreement with its uncanny effects. Peter und Silvia, by contrast, are gloomy, fearful and pessimistic. Jan and Natascha attempt to keep a perspective, continue to hope and remain active, believing that a new era will come. The ability to communicate becomes visibly more difficult for all of them. What happens namelessly alienates all of them : they have no language for it. When a stranger appears and speaks – Tanja, who moves through the landscape as if she were in a picture – she initially triggers euphoria, followed by deep isolation. She functions like a projection surface or a space of memory ; Jacques believes he sees his dead wife in her – he touches the membrane between life and death. Nothing, however, is stronger than the sun. The group is obliterated in the violet illumination of the snow. (reproduced from the Staatsoper Berlin website)

The cast includes soprano Anna Prohaska (Silvia), soprano Elsa Dreisig (Natascha), baritone Gyula Orendt (Jan), baritone George Nigl (Peter) and bass baritone Otto Katzameier. Matthis Pintscher conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin. Claus Guth directs.

The required orchestra is the following (accroding to the composer's website) :

- 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons ;
- saxophone ;
- 3 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1 tuba ;
- percussion (2 players), piano, accordion ;
- strings (12.10.8.6.4).

There will be four performances alltogether in January. The score is published by Bärenreiter. A perusal score is available for download on their website.

Today : world première of 'Nacht bis Acht' by François Sarhan in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper Berlin presents the world première of Nacht bis Acht, a musical theatre composed by François Sarhan for all aged 6 and over, with a libretto by the composer.

It is the composer's second opera after A King, Lear (Le Havre, 2010).

Fedora is playing with her magpie when she should actually be asleep, because her alarm clock is due to go off at 8 am the next morning. But then strange things begin to happen. The clocks start to play up and a clockmaker sets about trying to save time. The sun bearer has problems with a moon reluctant to rise. Seafarers responsible for the daily ebb and flow of the tides are thrown off their stroke. Situations and characters become more and more absurd as Fedora bumps into a pair of twins dead set on rowing across the Atlantic or is challenged to a game of table tennis by a tiger who then turns into a wild guitar. (reproduced from the Deutsche Oper website)

The cast includes soprano Meechot Marrero (Fedora), baritone Thomas Lehman (Sun Carrier / Miss Soupbowl / Don Quixote). The soloists are accompanied by a guitar (Seth Josel, who also performs the character of Sancho), a clarinet and a piano (conductor Elda Laro). Anselm Dalferth directs.

The venue is the Tischlerei. The performance starts at 4 pm and should last about 45 minutes.

Today : world première of 'Wir aus Glas' by Yasutaki Inamori in Munich

Today, the Münchner Biennale (Festival of new music theater) presents the world première of Wir aus Glas, a musical theatre piece composed by Yasutaki Inamori with a libretto by Gerhild Steinbuch.

It is the composer's first work for the stage.

An apartment, five persons, seven days: the apartment becomes a world. Comfortably packed in the interior of the bubble, familiar everyday rituals and dealing with familiar things secure and protect the persons from an outside, which for a long time now one only knows about from hearsay. Home, hearth, and living room endow identity and keep fear at bay : fear of the unknown, fear of the uncontrollable, fear of the unfamiliar. The constructed 'ideal world' is not allowed to collapse, and so the outsider becomes an aggressor, whose 'otherness' has to be suppressed, because he questions one's self. (reproduced from the Münchner Biennale website)

The cast includes soprano Alexandra Hutton, mezzo Michelle Daly, tenor Clemens Bieber ; baritone Thomas Florio and actor Steffen Scheumann. Elda Laro conducts the Opera Lab Berlin. David Hermann directs.
The instrumental ensemble consists of 1 oboe, 1 bassoon, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone / tuba, 1 violin and 1 violoncello.

The score is published by Edition Gravis.

The performance should last about 90 minutes. The venue is the Muffathalle. After five performances in Munich, the production will be performed in Berlin at the Deutsche Oper (Tischlerei), starting on June 19.

Today : world première of Gordon Kampe's 'Frankenstein' in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin presents the world première of Gordon Kampe's new musical theatre piece, Frankenstein, with a libretto based on Mary Shelley's novel.

He has already composed several pieces in the same genre, including the very successful Kannst du pfeifen, Johanna (2013).

Like a Doctor Faustus, like Prometheus, Viktor Frankenstein seems to be overstepping the bounds of human capacity when he creates living matter out of dead flesh. Director Maximilian von Mayenburg and his design team are transforming the Tischlerei into a laboratory - in which the audience will be in on the creation of human life and get a feel of the trials and tribulations of both creator and monster against an atmospheric backdrop of musical shards and sound effects. (reproduced from the Deutsche Oper Berlin website)

The cast includes soprano Sandra Hamaoui, tenor Andrew Dickinson, actor Christopher Nell and Actress Anna Rot. Jens Holzkamp conducts musicians from the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper. Maximilian von Mayenburg directs. The performance takes place at the Tischlerei.

The American composer Mark Grey already composed an opera with the same title, first performed in Brussels on June 14, 2016.

Today : world première of 'Ti vedo, ti sento, mi perdo' by Salvatore Sciarrino in Milan

Today, the Teatro alla Scala in Milano presents the world première performance of Ti vedo, ti sento, mi perdo (To see you, to feel you, to lose me), an opera in two acts composed by Salvatore Sciarrino, with a libretto by the composer.

(c) Luca Carrà

Salvatore Sciarrino has already composed 15 works for the theatre, including Lohengrin (Milano, 1983), Luci mie traditrici (Schwetzingen, 1998), Macbeth (Schwetzingen, 2002), Da gelo a gelo (Schwetzingen, 2006), La porta della legge (Wuppertal, 2009), and Superflumina (Mannheim, 2011).

The subtitle of Ti vedo, ti sento, mi perdo is Waiting for Stradella. This alludes to the fate of Alessandro Stradella, a highly prominent Italian composer during his time, who died in mysterious circumstances in 1682 – the victim of a violent crime. The work is set in the home of Cardinal Colonna in baroque Rome, where a singer, a writer, a musician, a choir and an instrumental ensemble are on stage awaiting the arrival of the composer. But instead of the promised new aria, they receive news of Stradella’s death. In the lead-up, the music and life of this controversial, original artist – a legend during his lifetime – are extensively reported and reflected upon. Different perspectives and values play a role, as do thoughts on human nature, the body, the senses and passion – in other words, the very essence of opera as an art form. (reproduced from the Staatsoper Unter den Linden website)

The cast includes soprano Laura Aikin (La cantatrice), tenor Charles Workman (Musico), bass baritone Otto Katzameier (Letterato), soprano Sonia Grané (Pasquozza), mezzo Lena Haselmann (Chiappina), countertenor Thomas Lichtenecker (Solfetto) and baritone Christian Oldenburg (Finocchio). Maxime Pascal conducts the Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala. Jürgen Flimm directs.

The first performance will be broadcast live by Rai Radio 3. This commission is a coproduction with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, where the opera will be performed in July 2018.

Received this morning : programme book for Ronchetti's 'Rivale' in Berlin

This Tuesday morning, I have received in the the mail the programme book published by the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin for the world première of Lucia Ronchetti's Rivale.

It is a 28 pages book. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- Über Rivale, by compoer Lucia Ronchetti ;
- Die Musik der Gegenwart, die in den Spiegel der Vergangenheit blickt - Eine Künstlerbiografie der Komponistin Lucia Ronchetti, by Stefano Nardelli ;
- Das abwesende Gegenüber, dialogue with stage director Isabel Ostermann.

I now have 491 programme books for contemporary operas. I have uploaded scans of the covers to this flickr folder.

Received : programme book for Aribert Reimann's 'L'Invisible' in Berlin

Last Friday, I received in the mail the programme book published by the Deutsche Oper Berlin for the world première performance of Aribert Reimann's 'trilogie lyrique' L'Invisible.

It is a 48 pages book. It contains :

- the synopsis ;
- Ein Kreislauf des Schrecklichen, the composer in dialogue with dramaturge Jörg Königsdorf ;
- Der musikalische Kern einer theatralischen Frucht, by Belgian writer Jacques De Decker ;
- several colour photos of the production, by Bernd Uhlig (16 pages) ;
- Todesakkord und Vokalpolyfonie, by dramaturge Sebastian Hanusa ;
- Ein Stück über Leben und Tod, by director Vasily Barkhatov ;
- Aribert Reimann und die Deutsche Oper Berlin ;
- Synopsis, in English.

The programme is entirely in German, with the exception of the English synopsis. There is also a separate 8 pages leaflet with the complete cast and crew and biographies.

I now have 490 programme books for contemporary operas. I have uploaded scans of the covers to this flickr folder.

Today : world première of Lucia Ronchetti's 'Rivale' in Berlin

Today, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin presents the world première of Lucia Ronchetti's chamber opera Rivale, with a libretto in French by the composer based on Antoine Danchet's Tancrède.

It is the composer's 13th work of musical theatre since L'Ape apatica (Venezia, 2002). Other stage works include Mise en abyme (Dresden, 2014) and Esame di mezzanotte (Mannheim, 2015).

Clorinda becomes the narrator and witness of her own tragedy – an irreconcilable conflict between rivalry and desire. (reproduced from the Staatsoper Unter den Linden website)

The cast includes mezzo-soprano Amira Elmadfa (Clorinde). she is accompanied by female voices, solo viola, brass ensemble and metallic percussion ensemble. Max Renne conducts. Isabel Ostermann directs. The performance should last about 1 hour.

Today : world première of Aribert Reimann's 'L'Invisible' in Berlin

Today, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin presents the world première of L'Invisible, composed by Aribert Reimann, with a libretto in French by the composer after three short plays by Maurice Maeterlinck : Intruder, Interior and The Death of Tintagiles.

It is the composer's ninth opera, since Ein Traumspiel (Kiel, 1965). His operatic output includes Lear (Munich, 1978), Die Gespenstersonate (Berlin, 1984), Das Schloss (Berlin, 1992) and Medea (Vienna, 2010).

The three plays provided variations on the themes of the inescapable fact of death and people’s helplessness when faced with it. Spaces are created that are, at once, bourgeois salon and folk-tale castle, dream and nightmare vision. And the work features characters who, in their everyday conversations, try to distract people from the unutterability of their sorrow, cruelty, helplessness and fears. (reproduced from the Deutsche Oper Berlin website)

The cast includes soprano Rachel Harnisch, mezzo soprano Annika Schlicht, mezzo soprano Ronnita Miller, bass baritone Seth Carico, bass baritone Stephen Bronk and tenor Thomas Blondelle. Donald Runnicles conducts the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper. Vasily Barkhatov directs.

A perusal score is available on the Schott music publisher website. The required orchestra is the following :

- Piccolo, 2 Flutes, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Heckelphone, Clarinet in E flat, Clarinet in B flat, Bass Clarinet in B flat, Double Bass Clarinet in B flat, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon ;
- 4 Horns in F, 3 Trumpets in C, 3 Trombones, Tuba ;
- Timpani, 6 Gongs, 2 Harps
- Strings (12-12-10-8-6).

Today : world première of Attila Kadri Şendil's 'The Town Musicians of Bremen' in Berlin

Today, the Komische Oper in Berlin presents the world première of The Town Musicians of Bremen, of children opera in two acts composed by Attila Kadri Şendil, with a libretto by Ulrich Lenz inspired by the Brothers Grimm's tale.

It is the composer's first opera.

A stubborn mule with a will of his own; a wild tearaway who isn’t in control of his own strength; gentleness personified, who wouldn’t hurt a soul; and a troublemaker who instantly voices every single emotion – these are the four companions whom fate brings together. Displaced, driven away, abandoned, abused and humiliated, they set out on their journey because »they can find a better place than this anywhere«. Bremen is the destination of their dreams. In the place where fairytales come true, they hope finally to find recognition, fame and fortune.  (reproduced from the Komische Oper website)

The cast includes bass Carsten Sabrowski (Donkey), tenor Adrian Strooper (Dog), mezzo Katarzyna Włodarczyk (Cat), soprano Andromahi Raptis (Cockerel), bass baritone Christian Tschelebiew (Ernst), and mezzo Christiane Oertel (Helga). Ivo Hentschel conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Komische Oper. Tobias Ribitzki directs.