Ernani

Ernani is a gripping drama about love and revenge by Giuseppe Verdi. Written in his unique style it brims with poignant arias, rousing choruses and enthralling ensemble scenes. The rebel leader Ernani recognises his father’s murderer in the Spanish King Carlo and seeks revenge on him. Both men love Elvira – as does old Silva whom she is to be married

to … Director Lotte de Beer and her set and costume designer Christof Hetzer devote themselves to the fictional plot which bears references to the 16th century. They demonstrate their rich scenic imagination in this production, conducted by Enrique Mazzola who “provides musically magic moments at the stand of the Wiener Symphoniker“

(Schwäbische Zeitung). “Great singers, fiery music and an action-packed staging“ (Allgäuer Zeitung). “A mixture of Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ and Monty Python’s ‘The Knights of the Coconut’.” (Deutschlandfunk)

Turandot

Mention Giacomo Puccini’s name and opera-lovers all over the world will think of grand opera and passionate love stories. One of the world’s most famous arias comes from the composer’s final opera, Turandot: “Nessun dorma” – none shall sleep because by morning the Chinese princess is determined to have discovered the name of the unknown prince. The work is remarkable for ist Chinese local colour, ist opulent crowd scenes, ist powerful choruses and ist characters overwhelmed by their emotions. Enthusiastically acclaimed by ist audiences, the present production combines spectacular and touching scenes on the Bregenz Festival’s vast lakeside stage.

Bregenz Festival 2023: Ernani

Six years before Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi had already composed a gripping drama about love and revenge: Ernani – his breakthrough as a composer. The opera was also based on a play by the French author Victor Hugo, whose text inspired Verdi’s unique style with moving arias, stirring choruses and scenes of high drama: Elvira is desired by three men – among them the Spanish king and her old uncle. But she loves the robber Ernani, of all people, who has a score to settle with the king… “As much as this brilliant and precisely executed evening is always one over, it cleverly always moves just below the caricature threshold. Scurrilous drama, bizarre humour and splatter comedy serve only one thing: the unmasking of the guys.” (Münchner Merkur); “A mixture of Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ and Monty Python’s ‘The Knights of the Coconut’.” (Deutschlandfunk)

Bregenz Festival 2015: Turandot

Mention Giacomo Puccini’s name and opera-lovers all over the world will think of grand opera and passionate love stories. One of the world’s most famous arias comes from the composer’s final opera, Turandot: “Nessun dorma” – none shall sleep because by morning the Chinese princess is determined to have discovered the name of the unknown prince. The work is remarkable for its Chinese local colour, its opulent crowd scenes, its powerful choruses and its characters overwhelmed by their emotions. Enthusiastically acclaimed by its audiences, the present production combines spectacular and touching scenes on the Bregenz Festival’s vast lakeside stage. “Melodies for millions, impressively staged” bringing “a bit of Hollywood to Bregenz” (ZDF heute journal TV news programme).

Verdi, Otello

Enthusiastically celebrated by audience and critics: The new production of Verdi’s Otello from the Palau de les Arts “Reina Sofía” in Valencia is featuring one of best casts one can imagine for this opera: American tenor Gregory Kunde as Otello, Italian soprano Maria Agresta as Desdemona and Spanish baritone Carlos Álvarez as Iago. On the rostrum: Zubin Metha. Stage by Davide Livermore, artistic director of the “Centro de perfeccionamiento Placido Domingo” of the Palau de les Arts.