Set Designer

Dramma per musica in three acts by Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759)
Libretto by Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani



EPSG:4326

Agrippina

Opernhaus Zürich

«You will die! A friend will kill you.» – The scene with the fortune teller Ulrica, who prophesies that Count Riccardo will soon meet his end, is just one of many effective scenes in Verdi’s opera Un ballo in maschera. Riccardo doesn’t believe Ulrica, and laughs – but a short while later he is murdered by his best friend Renato during a masked ball. Comedy and horror are also closely linked musically in this score from Verdi’s middle creative phase. The story of an idle, politically weak ruler who is killed at a masked ball is based on the historical case of Gustav III of Sweden. However, Verdi was less interested in historical details than in the effective dramaturgy offered by the triangular constellation between Riccardo, his best friend Renato and his wife Amelia. The emotional drama that takes place in the middle act between Riccardo and his friend's wife is one of the most sensual love scenes Verdi ever wrote – and leads to the fiercest jealousy from Renato, who then joins a gang of conspirators. Verdi wanted to stage his new opera – originally with King Gustav as the title figure – in Naples, but the subject matter was targeted by censors. Showing a regicide on stage was simply impossible in the politically turbulent Italy of the 19th century. In the end, the opera was staged in Rome in 1859, in a historically altered setting. General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda and stage director Adele Thomas devote themselves to Verdi’s score of contrasts, which oscillates between masquerade frivolity and deeply felt melodrama. Tenor Charles Castronovo, who has already sung this role at the New York Met, is Riccardo. Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi makes her debut as Amelia.

Un ballo in Maschera

Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi are a perfect pairing of high emotion, intense drama, and black comedy. Suor Angelica weaves a poignant tale of sacrifice and redemption, when a young nun is sent to a convent to repent her sins, and Gianni Schicchi is full of unexpected twists, deception and greed as a family dispute over a missing will.  

Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi

Venue Cymru

Theatre Royal Plymouth

Mayflower Theatre

Buckle up as Puccini’s trio of one-act operas, Il trittico, takes you on an unforgettable rollercoaster of high emotion, intense drama, and black comedy. Il tabarro (The Cloak) gazes upon an unhappy marriage with murderous consequences, Suor Angelica (Sister Angelica) follows a nun’s sacrifice and familial yearning when sent to a convent to repent her sins, and Gianni Schicchi is full of deception and greed as a family dispute over a missing will.

Il trittico Puccini

Wales Millennium Centre

This summer's series of FREE pop-up performances unites neighborhood artists from Austin, Chinatown, Englewood, Hermosa, Belmont Cragin, Little Village, and West Pullman with Chicago Shakespeare performers for a fun-for-all-ages musical revue.

The Hero Within

Blackhawk Park

Columbus Park

Ogden Park

Ping Tom Memorial Park

Piotrowski Park

Polk Bros Park

West Pullman Park

Zurich Opera presents Giuseppe Verdi’s stunning opera, A Masked Ball, filled with desire, treachery and political peril.

Verdi’s A Masked Ball

Festival Theatre Edinburgh

An unflinching portrait of fury and despair. Ted Huffman's stark and stripped-back staging of Philip Venables's opera makes its debut on the Linbury Stage. Conductor Naomi Woo draws out the moments of clarity, anguish and fleeting hope that colour the music, with the voices of six singers cutting to the heart of Sarah Kane’s text.

Set Designer

Hannah Clark

Events

Upcoming events

26 - 30 Aug, 2026

Verdi’s A Masked Ball · Edinburgh International Festival

17 - 25 Oct, 2026

4.48 Psychosis · Royal Opera House

Past events

2 - 30 Mar, 2025

Agrippina · Opernhaus Zürich

Dec 8, 2024 - Jan 19, 2025

Un ballo in Maschera · Opernhaus Zürich

About

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