Costume Designer

Jacques Offenbach composed more than 100 operas and operettas, most of them with unique wit and biting satire, original and inspired. At the end of his illustrious career in Paris, which stretched over five decades, he turned to his most ambitious operatic work Les Contes d’Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann), an opéra fantastique based on a play that premiered in 1881.

Les Contes d’Hoffmann

Bebelplatz

Modest Mussorgsky’s national folk drama centres on a grim episode of late 17th-century Russian history. Ivan Khovansky, leader of the musketeer corps (streltsy), and his son Andrei, are planning a conspiracy, but the ambitious Prince Vasily Golitsyn, the boyar Shaklovity and cleric Dosifey also get involved in the struggle for power.

Khovanshchina

What could be more practical to escape annoying social obligations than having a friend every now and then who urgently needs our help? Oscar Wilde used this mental sigh to create his last and most popular comedy to date, The Importance of Being Earnest . Gerd Natschinski chose the successful material as the basis for a musical in 1964. Max Hopp is staging this "top work of cheerful musical theater" in the GDR with all its quirks in the tent!

My Friend Bunbury

Komische Oper Berlin @Schillertheater

Together with librettist Tom Holloway, Czech composer Miroslaw Srnka places a real-life criminal case during the Second World War at the center of his opera Voice Killer, which he wrote as a commissioned work for the MusikTheater an der Wien. His protagonist, a young soldier at a US army base in Australia, is obsessively searching for the voice of his deceased mother among women crossing his path - ultimately, this search turns him into a serial killer. Under the musical direction of Finnegan Downie Dear, Klangforum Wien will premiere the work at the Theater an der Wien.

Voice Killer

Theater an der Wien, Vienna

Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium on May 17 to conduct Strauss’s one-act tragedy, which will be transmitted live from the Metropolitan Opera stage to cinemas worldwide. Leading the company’s first new production of the work in 20 years, Claus Guth, one of Europe’s leading opera directors, gives the biblical story a psychologically perceptive Victorian-era setting. South African soprano Elza van den Heever leads a celebrated cast as the abused and unhinged antiheroine, with Swedish baritone Peter Mattei as the imprisoned prophet Jochanaan; German tenor Gerhard Siegel as Salome’s lecherous stepfather, King Herod; American mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as his wife, Herodias; and Polish tenor Piotr Buszewski as Narraboth.

EPSG:4326

Salome

Shalin Liu Performance Center

In the spirit of romanticism, the young Richard Wagner shaped the legend of the Flying Dutchman into an opera of bold music and irrepressible force. It is a dark and mysterious tale, the atmosphere of which Wagner captured so succinctly in his striking score. He unleashes forces of nature in the orchestra, while echoing folkloric music in the chorus, and the solo scenes, duets and ensembles are highly expressive. Dream and reality blur; imagination and reality can barely be distinguished. Since the Dresden premiere in 1843, The Flying Dutchman has sailed across the opera stages of the world, and has often laid anchor in Berlin. This production by Philipp Stölzl presents Wagner’s work as a colourful pirate story and an adventurous spiritual journey with some surprising twists and turns.

Der fliegende Holländer

Berlin State Opera

Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts his first Met performances of Strauss’s white-hot one-act tragedy, which receives its first new production at the company in 20 years. Claus Guth, one of Europe’s leading opera directors, gives the biblical story—already filtered through the beautiful and strange imagination of Oscar Wilde’s play—a psychologically perceptive Victorian-era setting rich in symbolism and subtle shades of darkness and light. Headlining the new staging is soprano Elza van den Heever as the abused and unhinged antiheroine, who demands the head of Jochanaan, sung by celebrated baritone Peter Mattei. Tenor Gerhard Siegel is Salome’s lecherous stepfather, King Herod, with mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as his wife, Herodias, and tenor Piotr Buszewski as Narraboth. Derrick Inouye conducts two performances in May.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Danae must marry a wealthy man to settle her father's debts. All dream of gold here, and Danae more than all others. A powerful man takes an interest in her and sends another ahead. It would appear the right husband has been found. But, of course his wealth comes with a condition which stands in the way of true happiness. Danae must, Danae can choose between wealth and love, between dreams and reality, between the promises of wealth and riches, and of love and all its happiness. 

The Love of Danae

Max-Joseph-Platz

Elderly King Mitridate wants to marry again, but suspects his sons might dispute his right to his beloved Aspasia and the throne. He therefore spreads the rumour that he died in battle after being defeated by the Romans. Sure enough, his older son Farnace starts pressurising his father’s young intended bride to marry him. But Aspasia secretly loves Sifare, his younger brother, who she asks to protect her from Farnace’s advances. The King of Pontus, believed to be dead, returns in the company of Irene, whom Farnace once promised to marry. Everyone starts eyeing each up other suspiciously. Farnace, in league with the Romans, plots against his father while Sifare und Aspasia are torn between their love for one another and loyalty to Mitridate. Left at the mercy of the King’s jealousy, their desperation brings them close to death.

Mitridate, Re di Ponto

Oper Frankfurt

The two closely related powerful women, whose graves now lie right beside each other in London’s Westminster Abbey, were “Of One Blood”, so of the same blood. Both were of course as conceivably far apart as possible during their lives. Elizabeth I ruled for almost half a century as Queen of England and Ireland, while Mary Stuart reigned over Scotland for a quarter of a century. A bitter power struggle between the Protestant hegemony and the Catholic opposition and ultimately the pressure of parliament forced the English Queen to have Mary Stuart executed.

Of One Blood

The Chinese princess Turandot is obliged to marry only the man who solves her three riddles - a vow that has already cost countless princes their lives. Anyone who fails will be executed that very night. However, when Calaf, a Tartar Prince, sees Turandot, he cannot resist her enigmatic beauty. He solves the tasks, but the princess refuses the marriage. Calaf turns the game round: In order to avoid the marriage, Turandot must discover his name before dawn - a task that pushes everyone to their limits. The aria "Nessun dorma" marks the opera's dramatic climax. But after the naming of the name, "Love", Puccini's last work ends with the note "e poi "Tristano" - "and then Tristan". The opulent production by Lydia Steier ("Director of the Year" 2024) makes this work into an opera experience full of suspense, passion, and spectacle. Felix Bender assumes the Musical Direction once again.

Costume Designer

Ursula Kudrna

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 16, 2025 - Mar 22, 2026

Les Contes d’Hoffmann · Staatsoper Berlin

Dec 7, 2025 - Jan 10, 2026

Mitridate, Re di Ponto · Oper Frankfurt

May 10 - Jun 29, 2026

Of One Blood · Bayerische Staatsoper

May 21 - Jun 7, 2026

Turandot · Oper Köln

Sep 24 - Oct 1, 2026

Mithridates, King of Pontus · Teatro di San Carlo

Past events

Nov 16, 2025 - Mar 22, 2026

Les Contes d’Hoffmann · Staatsoper Berlin

2 - 23 Nov, 2025

Khovanshchina · Staatsoper Berlin

About

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