Adapting a short story of the same title by the Norwegian writer Jon Fosse, Hungarian conductor-composer Péter Eötvös, one of the most influential figures in contemporary music, wrote Sleepless on commission. He and librettist Mari Mezei interweave snapshots of the existential search for belonging, crime as a response to human indifference and the struggle with a sense of being out of place, generating a somewhat suggestive, operatic stream of consciousness. The world premiere also marks the Staatsoper Unter den Linden debut of the Hungarian film, theatre and opera director Kornél Mundruczó, well-known for cinematically realistic works that often address contemporary social themes.
Stefan Herheim: The Drama Lies in the Music
One of the world’s most sought-after opera directors, Stefan Herheim, has begun an intense rehearsal period at the MusikTheater an der Wien, where he will shed new light on Johann Strauss II’s classic operetta “Die Fledermaus”. We get unique access to the process behind one of his most ambitious and controversial interpretations, set in Nazi-occupied Vienna in 1938. With the cameras up close, artistic breakthroughs, creative triumphs and moments of deep doubt are revealed. The ensemble is challenged, and expectations are sky-high. The question is as simple as it is dramatic: Will Herheim’s new “Fledermaus” end up as a success… or a scandal?
Beethoven‘s Nine: Ode to Humanity
In early 2023, filmmaker Larry Weinstein set out to make a documentary about Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. It was supposed to be about how far we have come in the two undred years since it was written. But when world events pull Larry into his own film, the question becomes a deeply personal one. Beethoven’s Nine is a documentary about music, but also about war and hope. It follows nine unique individuals, including Ukrainian musicians, a deaf composer, a Polish rock star, a best-selling author, a legendary cartoonist and Weinstein himself, as they try to better understand the legacy of Beethoven’s Ninth, the composer’s own struggles, the inspiration music can provide and how humanity continues to look for hope even in the darkest times.
Sting – A Winter’s Night… Documentary
In ‘Sting – A Winter’s Night … Documentary’, the artist takes his producer-friend Robert Sadin – and the viewer – on a tour of the places where he grew up in and around Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England, and reunites with so.
Jan Garbarek Group at MaiJazz Festival
Jan Garbarek is one of the greatest artists in Norwegian music. His sound delights audiences and inspires musicians all over the world. His first solo album, released in 1967, helped secure Norway a spot in international jazz history. In 2013, Jan Garbarek played one of his rare concerts on Norwegian soil, visiting Stavanger Concert Hall and the MaiJazz festival with his group, a concert with intense and beautiful music.
Lise Davidsen: Christmas from Norway
Lise Davidsen, one of the most celebrated and sought-after sopranos on the world stage, presents a personal programme of seasonal favourites from the Folketeateret in Oslo. Mixing traditional carols and Christmas songs – from Norway and across Europe – with music by Bach, Humperdinck, Hugo Wolf, the programme provides the perfect selection to get into the seasonal spirit, all sung with the spectacular voice and artistry that have brought the Norwegian soprano accolades and acclaim from Bayreuth to New York