Director

A ruler wracked with guilt, power-greedy conspirators, a fickle people and a monk, who writes history, in the true sense of the word: Boris Godunov is crowned Tsar, to the delight of the people, after Dimitri, legitimate heir to the throne, was murdered. The monk Pimen naming the ruler as the murderer in his chronicles of Russian history inspires the novice Grigori to pass himself off as Dimitri, who escaped with his life after all, and lay claim to the throne, backed by ambitious Marina, Polish Voyevoda's daughter. While Boris struggles with ghosts of the past, the Boyars wonder how to get rid of the new usurper, but the »fake Dimitri« ends up being crowned Tsar.

EPSG:4326

Boris Godunov

Oper Frankfurt

Driven into a corner, disowned by a community who blame him for an accident that killed his apprentice, after the first one died at sea, because they'd run out of water – Peter Grimes is a tragic figure, at the mercy of a narrow-minded rural community’s bigotry. Keith Warner, with a passion for psychodrama, draws a haunting portrait of a fishing community, portraying people thrown together in a claustrophobic world. Ellen Orford finds the jersey she knitted the second apprentice washed up on the beach. With the people baying for Grimes‘ blood, Balstrode, his only friend, tells him to take the boat out, and sink it.

Peter Grimes

Giuseppe Verdi’s third opera was his break-out work. By the end of the gestation of NABUCCO the 29-year-old had found his musical style, one that audiences latched onto immediately. It was first and foremost the sheer impact of the chorus scenes and the daringly loud orchestral movements that announced a new chapter in the history of opera. NABUCCO was the first opera to make the chorus one of the main protagonists and the material was ideal for this, with the liberation of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity providing ample occasion for crowd scenes conveying the yearnings and stirrings of an oppressed people. And to top it all, it was not an aria but the “Va, pensiero” Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, sung by the Jewish deportees on the banks of the Euphrates, that became the best known number in the opera – and the most famous Verdi tune of all.

Nabucco

Deutsche Oper Berlin

**** "This staging of Michael Tippett’s complex opera, whose story of impoverished 80s Britain takes in sci-fi, street slang and electric guitar, is a remarkable feat"  Clive Paget, The Guardian 

**** "Operatic life would be much duller without the music of Michael Tippett and the work of Birmingham Opera Company. In this show the two bring out the best in each other." Neil Fisher, The Times

New Year

Birmingham City Centre

Tenacious diva, Floria Tosca, is thrust into a no-win situation after her lover assists the escape of a political prisoner. They are cornered by the corrupt Scarpia. Each decision she makes brings fate, and disaster, one step closer.

Stage director Keith Warner and his team have created a gorgeous new production inspired by the famous Italian surrealist artist Giorgio di Chirico with additional influences from the great filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock.

Tosca

Santa Fe Opera

A Tsar, wanting to have his photograph taken has no idea he’s surrounded by conspirator’s planning his assassination. And a young woman, who can outsmart anybody – even a King.

The Tsar wants his Photograph taken / The Clever Woman

Undoubtedly one of the most famous melodies in operatic history is the popular prisoners’ chorus «Va pensiero,» from Nabucco, which in Verdi’s time was even considered the unofficial national anthem of Italy. Beyond this, however, it was also Verdi’s unerring instinct for theatrically effective situations that made Nabucco the composer’s first major success; here, too, Verdi found his very personal musical-dramatic language. The powerful, contrasting choral scenes, which address the Babylonian-Hebrew conflict, the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile of the Jews are juxtaposed with the story of the disintegration of a ruling family: Abigaille and Fenena are half-sisters, both in love with the young Jew Ismaele. Their father, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, descends into madness and despair. The title role features the charismatic baritone Nicola Alaimo, deeply rooted in the Italian tradition, alongside the radiant Saoia Hernández as Abigaille. The fiery Verdi conductor Antonino Fogliani leads the performance.

In order to win her, however, Walther must satisfy the strict rules of the Meistersinger. He is in danger of failing in the singing competition, but Sachs cleverly supports him. Walther finally wins over the guild with a novel, inspired song. He wins Eva, while Sachs pleads for moderation, art and a sense of community.

Director

Keith Warner

Events

Upcoming events

14 - 27 Jun, 2026

The Tsar wants his Photograph taken / The Clever Woman · Oper Frankfurt

Apr 24 - May 14, 2027

Nabucco · Deutsche Oper Berlin

6 - 16 May, 2027

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg · Wiener Staatsoper

Past events

2 - 26 Nov, 2025

Boris Godunov · Oper Frankfurt

6 - 18 Sep, 2025

Peter Grimes · Oper Frankfurt

About

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