Singer

Magda leaves her wealthy patron when she meets the young Ruggero. But the feeling of first love cannot be relived. Puccini's "La rondine" (The Swallow), commissioned by Vienna's Carl Theater, is an unusual blend of opera and operetta that puzzled critics: some found it too heavy, others too light. Despite several revisions to the ending, Puccini considered his "problem child" a gem that remains rarely performed to this day. Christof Loy directs this work as an impressive rediscovery. Marco Armiliato conducts.

EPSG:4326

La rondine

Opernhaus Zürich

Hanna Glawari is the woman around whom everything revolves: emancipated, beautiful, intelligent, and the heiress of 20 million. Desired in Paris, she is destined for only one man, who simply cannot bring himself to utter the words "I love you." Director Barrie Kosky staged this ambiguous and successful early modern operetta with great opulence. Alongside quirky slapstick and revue flair, he highlights the waltz-infused nostalgia and the emotional depth of the piece. Soprano Diana Damrau makes her role debut in the title role in this revival.

The Merry Widow

A gold rush camp in California: here, only the strongest prevail. Minnie's Bar becomes a refuge for a society without firm social norms. When Minnie falls in love with the bandit Johnson, the fragile order finally crumbles. In her production of Giacomo Puccini's Western opera, director Lydia Steier paints a picture of a community marked by isolation and violence, where the spiral of brutality turns relentlessly. Marco Armiliato conducts the richly textured score. Anja Kampe, Jonas Kaufmann, and Tomasz Konieczny star in the leading roles.

La fanciulla del west

"Tosca" is an operatic thriller about desire, betrayal, and the abuse of power. With the title character, Puccini created a figure who has dedicated her life entirely to the stage. Robert Carsen directs a subtle drama about appearance and reality, theater and truth. Under the musical direction of Carlo Rizzi, Maria Agresta and Sonya Yoncheva alternate in the title role, Charles Castronovo and Yusif Eyvazov sing Cavaradossi, and Ludovic Tézier and Gabriele Viviani portray the power-hungry Scarpia.

Tosca

Giuseppe Verdi's "Don Carlo" unites political power struggles and unrequited passion in a monumental operatic drama. The Spanish Infante Carlos loves the French princess Elisabetta. When his father, King Philip II, marries her for political reasons, Carlos comes into conflict with the ruler. Against the backdrop of the atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition and the Flanders War of Independence, Giuseppe Verdi created a work that is as moving as it is highly dramatic. Petr Popelka, one of the rising stars of the younger generation of conductors, returns to the podium of the Zurich Opera Orchestra. Lise Davidsen sings Elisabetta di Valois.

Bass-baritone

Benjamin Suran

Events

Upcoming events

Sep 24 - Oct 15, 2026

La rondine · Opernhaus Zürich

Dec 27, 2026 - Jan 13, 2027

The Merry Widow · Opernhaus Zürich

Feb 25 - Apr 16, 2027

La fanciulla del west · Opernhaus Zürich

Apr 11 - May 17, 2027

Tosca · Opernhaus Zürich

1 - 11 Jul, 2027

Don Carlo · Opernhaus Zürich

Future and recently performed repertoire

Rabonnier in La rondine by Puccini

Opernhaus Zürich

Happy in La Fanciulla del West by Puccini

Opernhaus Zürich

Sciarrone in Tosca by Puccini

Opernhaus Zürich

Pritschitsch in The Merry Widow by Lehár

Opernhaus Zürich

Deputati fiamminghi in Don Carlo by Verdi

Opernhaus Zürich

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