Information

Opéra in four acts

Composer Gaetano Donizetti · Libretto by Alphonse Ryoyer, Gustav Vaëz and Eugène Scribe
In French with German and English surtitles | New Production

Wednesday, 09. November 2016
07:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Nationaltheater

Duration est. 3 hours · 1. + 2. Akt (est. 07:00 pm - 08:10 pm ) · Interval (est. 08:10 pm - 08:40 pm ) · 3. + 4. Akt (est. 08:40 pm - 10:00 pm )

Introductory Event: 06:00 PM

Prices L

Premiere at 23. October 2016

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Cast

Musikalische Leitung
Karel Mark Chichon
Inszenierung
Amélie Niermeyer
Bühne
Alexander Müller-Elmau
Kostüme
Kirsten Dephoff
Licht
Michael Bauer
Choreographische Mitarbeit
Ramses Sigl
Dramaturgie
Rainer Karlitschek
Chor
Sören Eckhoff
Léonor de Guzman
Elīna Garanča
Fernand
Matthew Polenzani
Alphonse XI
Vito Priante
Balthazar
Mika Kares
Don Gaspard
Joshua Owen Mills
Inès
Elsa Benoit
  • Bayerisches Staatsorchester
  • Chorus of the Bayerische Staatsoper
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Numerous myths surround the historical figure of Léonore de Guzman, mistress of King Alfons XI of Castile, who becomes embroiled within an intrigue-laced political power play. Perfect opera material, therefore, and snapped up all too gladly by Gaetano Donizetti, who transformed it into a French grand opéra for Paris in 1840. Donizetti never again produced such uncompromisingly forlorn and pessimistic material. Interestingly, though, the opera's title character has very little in common with the historical figure. 

Léonore's love for the King is revealed in the opera to be a farce. She does not hesitate for long, before flinging herself upon the young Fernand, who, for her sake, has eschewed the life of a monk in Santiago de Compostela. Yet, he is unaware of her status as a mistress, thus allowing the pair to all too easily become victims of a conspiratorial power play between church and state. At the end, the couple are denied even the hope of a better future together after death. Léonore dies and, while Fernand does remain at the monastery, the opera provides the characters with little understanding of God and redemption.

 

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Biographies

Karel Mark Chichon dirigierte 2004 erstmals die Wiener Philharmoniker. Von 2009 bis 2012 war er Chefdirigent beim Lettischen Nationalen Sinfonieorchester, danach ab 2011 in gleicher Funktion bei der Deutschen Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern. In der Spielzeit 2017/18 wurde er Chefdirigent des Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria. Darüber hinaus dirigierte er u. a. an der Wiener Staatsoper, der Deutschen Oper Berlin, am Teatro dell’Opera in Rom, am Teatro Comunale di Bologna, dem Teatro Real in Madrid und an der Metropolitan Opera New York. Ebenso trat er u. a. mit den Wiener Symphonikern, dem Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, dem Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, dem English Chamber Orchestra und dem Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam auf. (Stand: 2018)

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