Today : world première of 'Schellen-Ursli' by Marius Felix Lange in Basel

Today, the Theater Basel presents the world première of Schellen-Ursli (A Bell for Ursli), a children opera composed by Marius Felix Lange with a libretto by the composed based on the Engadine Trilogy by Selina Chönz and Alois Carigiet.

It is the composer's sixth opera for children after, among others, Das Opernschiff oder am Südpol, denkt man, ist es heiss (Köln, April 26, 2005), Schneewittchen (Köln, April 21, 2011) and Die Schneekönigin (Duisburg, April 23, 2016).

A little village lies peacefully covered in snow high up in the Swiss mountains. But not for long! Because Chalandamarz will soon be here and the children are waiting impatiently to drive winter away with the sound of loud bells. However, Ursli’s feverish excitement turns into deep despondency when everyone laughs at him being given the smallest of all the goat bells. He determinedly makes his way to the lonely Maiensässhütte to fetch the largest of the cow bells. However, the steep path that leads there is a dangerous one and when Flurina also sets off into the snow and ice to look for her brother, the adventure takes a more serious turn. (reproduced from the Theater Basel website)

The cast includes Michael Bauer or Aaron Christ (Schellen-Ursli), Alma Bleich or Mira Feigel (Flurina), soprano Kali Hardwick or mezzo Ena Pongrac (Mutter), baritone Dmytro Kalmuchyn or Anelio Rodriguez (Vater) and bass baritone Raphael Sigling (Gian / Der Winter). Stephen Delaney conducts a Chalanda-Banda. Tim Jentzen directs.

Today : world première of 'Der Gesang der Zauberinsel' by Marius Felix Lange in Salzburg

Today, the Salzburg Festival presents the world première of Der Gesang der Zauberinsel, oder : wie der Rasende Roland wieder zu Verstand kam, a youth opera composed by Marius Felix Lange, with a libretto based on Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando furioso.

It is the composer's seventh opera for young audience, after Schneewittchen (2011), Das Gespenst von Canterville (2013), Die Schneekönigin (2016) and Krieg (2018), among others.

Angelika, the daughter of the composer Roland Angeler, is given a part in her father’s new opera. When Mirza, one of the other singers, mysteriously disappears, she goes in search of him. She is helped by the warrior Bradamante, who seems to hail from a long time ago. Together they ride to Alcina’s enchanted island on a hippogriff, a legendary flying creature that is part horse and part eagle. There, things get completely out of hand — and only a trip to the moon can help to resolve the chaos. (reproduced from the Salzburg Festival website)

The cast consists of members of the Young Singers Project : soprano Sarah Shine (Angelika), bass-baritone Joel Allison (Roland Angeler), soprano Joanna Kedzior (Alcina), tenor James Ley (Ruggiero), mezzo Carmen Artaza (Bradamante) and baritone Benson Wilson (Mirza / Medoro). Ben Glassberg conducts the Salzburg Orchestra Soloists. Andreas Weirich directs.

The venue is the Great Hall of the University.

New programme book in my collection : 'Krieg' by Marius Felix Lange, in Stuttgart

On Tuesday, I have received the programme book published by the Stuttgart Opera house for the world première performance of Krieg, stell dir vor, er wäre hier, by Marius Felix Lange. The first performance was on April 27, 2018.

It is a 40 pages booklet. It contains :

- complete cast and crew ;
- Verzerrte Erinnerungen, by Rebekka Meyer (dramatuge) ;
- several poems by Nora Gomringer ;
- excerpt of the original book by Janne Teller ;
- Ich bin immer sowohl zu Hause als auch ein Fremde, an interview with Janne Teller.

It is entirely in German.

I now have 561 programme books for contemporary operas. I have scanned all covers and uploaded them to this flickr album.

Today : world première of 'Krieg' by Marius Felix Lange in Stuttgart

Today, the Oper Stuttgart presents the world première of Krieg, stell dir vor, er wäre hier, a chamber opera for everyone from 14 years onward, composed by Marius Felix Lange, with a libretto by the composed based on the book by Janne Teller and with poem islands by Nora Gomringer.

It is the composer's sixth opera for young audience, after Schneewittchen (2011), Das Gespenst von Canterville (2013) and Die Schneekönigin (2016), among others.

If there was war in our country, where would you go to ? Maybe you would flee to Egypt where it seems safe for you and your family. Maybe you would sell cakes as a street vendor and would try to fit in. But you still would think of your country and your home every single day and you would wonder where home exactly is ? Is it that country, ravaged by war, to which you cannot return to ? Or is it that new place, where you have found friends but will always remain a stranger ? (reproduced from the Oper Stuttgart website)

The cast includes soprano Aïsha Tümmler, baritone Ipca Ramanovic and actor Matthias Jahrmärker. The composer conducts a string quartet from the Stuttgart State Orchestra. Elena Tzavara directs.

New Season 2014-2015 at the Komische Oper, Berlin

During the 2014-2015, the Komische Oper in Berlin will present the follwing new productions :

- Jacques Offenbach : La Belle Hélène, conducted by Henrik Nanasi and Kristiina Poska, directed by Barrie Kosky ;
- Marius Felix Lange : Das Gespenst von Canterville, conducted by Kristiina Poska, directed by Jasmina Hadziahmetovic (world première production first performed in Zurich in April 2012) ;
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Don Giovanni, conducted by Henrik Nanasi and Kristiina Poska, directed by Herbert Fritsch ;
- Oscar Straus : Eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will !, conducted by Adam Benzwi, directed by Barrie Kosky ;
- double bill : Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi and Bela Bartok's Bluedbeard's Castle, conducted by Henrik Nanasi, directed by Calixto Bieito ;
- Arnold Schönberg : Moses und Aron, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, directed by Barrie Kosky ;
- Georg Friedrich Händel : Giulio Cesare, conducted by Konrad Junghänel, directed by Lydia Steier.

The following productions will be revived :
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Die Zauberflöte, directed by Suzanne Andrade and Barrie Kosky (first performed in November 2012) ;
- Nico Dostal : Clivia, directed by Stefan Huber (first performed in March 2014) ;
- Benjamin Britten : A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Viestur Kairiss (first performed in September 2013) ;
- Johann Strauß : Die Fledermaus, directed by Andreas Homoki (first performed in September 2007) ;
- Leonard Bernstein : West Side Story, directed by Barrie Kosky and Otto Pichler (first performed in November 2013) ;
- Milos Vacek : Des Kaisers neue Kleider, directed by Lydia Steier (first performed in October 2013) ;
- Pierangelo Valtinoni : Die Schneekönigin, directed by Anisha Bondy (first performed in October 2010) ;
- Paul Abraham : Ball im Savoy, directed by Barrie Kosky (first performed in June 2013) ;
- Claudio Monteverdi / Elena Kats-Chernin : Orpheus, directed by Barrie Kosky (first performed in September 2012) ;

- Claudio Monteverdi / Elena Kats-Chernin : Odysseus, directed by Barrie Kosky (first performed in September 2012) ;
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Cosi fan tutte, directed by Alvis Hermanis (first performed in November 2013) ;
- Georges Bizet : Carmen, directed by Sebastian Baumgarten (first performed in November 2011) ;
- Giuseppe Verdi : Rigoletto, directed by Barrie Kosky (first performed in September 2009).

And in concert :
- Emmerich Kalman : Arizona Lady, conducted by Kai Tietje ;
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Lucio Silla, conducted by Kristiina Poska.

Altogether, there will be seven new productions, 1 false new production, 13 revivals and 2 concert versions.

Most of the operas are performed in German, with the following exceptions : Gianni Schicchi, Lucio Silla and Giulio Cesare (in Italian), Cosi fan tutte (in German and Italian), Bluebeard's Castle (in Hungarian), West Side Story (in English and German).

In the program book for the new season, there is a chronology of the 23 works being performed. Only 11 of them (including the two Monteverdi operas arranged by Elena Kats-Chernin) have been composed before 1914, meaning 12 (more than half of the total) have been composed in the last 100 years.