Storm and thunder, unbridled passion, incest and divine wrath - all of this is already brewing in the first bars of the orchestral prelude to DIE WALKÜRE and gives a hint of what is to follow. In DIE WALKÜRE, the first day of the stage festival play DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN, Wagner focuses on the generation of Wotan's descendants: On the sibling pair Siegmund and Sieglinde, who, after many years of separation, meet fatefully and fall in love with each other. And on the Valkyries, Brünnhilde and her eight sisters, whose task it is to bring the heroes fallen in battle to Valhalla. When Wotan's wife Fricka learns of the incestuous relationship between Siegmund and Sieglinde, she demands that Wotan put an end to it. So Wotan orders his favourite daughter Brünnhilde to overthrow Siegmund in his battle against his rival Hunding. But Brünnhilde protects Siegmund against Wotan’s command. As punishment, Wotan puts Brünnhilde into a deep sleep and ignites a circle of fire around her, which only one without fear can pass through...

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Die Walküre

Cologne Opera

Today marks a joyous day at the castle. Finally, the wedding of Figaro and Susanna is set to take place, both of whom are in the service of Count Almaviva and are being supported by him. Everything seems perfect - and is, of course, only half the truth. In fact, the Count is after Susanna and tries to play his employees off against each other wherever possible. At the same time, he believes he must keep an eye on his lonely wife, as well as his pubescent nephew Cherubino, who continuously puts him in compromising situations. The longer the crazy day lasts, the less the Count seems to be master in his own house. Only when everyone unites against him are the rules of the game changed. But until that moment arrives, until Figaro and Susanna are finally wed, until the Count and Countess are reconciled, until a genuine plea for forgiveness for wrongful actions is spoken, the most beautiful and profound human comedy in opera unfolds: Mozart’s LE NOZZE DI FIGARO. Here, reason, intrigue, and emotional desire are perfectly balanced when it comes to bringing order to the emotional chaos that has always connected people. For his first Mozart libretto, the librettist Lorenzo da Ponte took on a brand-new and quite delicate drama in 1786, Beaumarchais' French comedy "La folle journée ou Le mariage de Figaro," a critical reflection of the conditions in the Ancien Régime. Mozart embraced the revolutionary idea, after all, he had just settled in Vienna as a free artist, and had a clear vision of how he wanted to live as a citizen in a still feudal world. Far more important, however, are the love and respect that his music shows to every single character on stage, as Mozart ensures that each and every one - whether young or old, privileged or less privileged - receives their due. Mozart's masterful ensemble piece conducted by General Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada. Katharina Thoma, already known in Cologne for DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN, directs this musical comedy that never goes out of style

Le Nozze di Figaro

Fleeing from a snake, Prince Tamino enters the realm of the Queen of the night. Three ladies rescue him and are fascinated by him. As the bird catcher Papageno claims to have defeated the serpent, they punish his boasting and put a lock on his mouth. Tamino receives a picture of Pamina, the abducted daughter of the Queen, immediately falls in love with her and vows to rescue her. With a magic flute and a set of bells, Tamino and Papageno set off and face all dangers.

The Magic Flute

The Principality of Silistria is highly coveted. Two European countries are vying for a trade agreement: Hungary and Turkey. But Silistria only wants to choose one partner. While the Hungarian ambassador Count Géza von Tököli is already courting the favour of the Silistrian Princess Petra, everyone is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Turkish ambassador. The latter’s appearance ultimately exceeds all expectations because, as it turns out, Turkey’s diplomat is a woman: Dschilli Bey! Gender clichés and cultural prejudices are now turned upside down and thoroughly shaken up. A competitive struggle full of intrigue, mistaken identities and surprising twists and turns ensues. Who comes out on top? See for yourself!

Eine Frau von Format

Staatenhaus Köln

The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II is a biblical parable of hubris, punishment and catharsis. After all, would we still know his name if he had not made a major appearance in the Third Book of Daniel in the Old Testament? In a speech there, he tells of how, in accordance with a prophecy, he descended into madness, was cast out and lived like an animal. Only the revelation of “God of heaven” brought him back to human society.

Nabucco

Disaster looms over the ruling house of Mycenae. Since Agamemnon was killed by his wife Klytaemnestra, ever new sacrifices have been made. But peace does not return, especially not for the children. Orest has gone missing, Chrysothemis wants a family of her own, but Elektra pursues only one thought: revenge for her father. “The times are strange”, wrote the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal around 1900, “and they have strange children: us!” He observes “people who were fractured”, who had lost their unity. With irrationality, delusion and “mysteriously aroused nature”, the writer poetically describes what Sigmund Freud was soon to describe psychoanalytically as a sign of the times.

Elektra

The opera DER ROSENKAVALIER leads into the bedroom of a princess and straight into the intimate conversation with her youthful lover. Inspired by the ancient tragedy ELEKTRA, Richard Strauss and the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal envisioned something entirely new: a comedy for music. Cheerful, light, and elegant, conciliatory yet profound in its emotions and thoughts – and, of course, Austrian in its burlesque wit while at the same time touched by melancholy reflection. Thus the authors created the famous figure of the Field Marshal's wife, Princess Werdenberg who bears the first name Marie-Thérèse for good reason and entrusted her with the leading role in the opera DER ROSENKAVALIER, premiered in 1911.

Der Rosenkavalier

“Such a little fat dachshund has never been seen here before,” Goethe’s mother wrote to her son in 1793 about a performance of DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (The Magic Flute) – a remark that reflects how Mozart’s Singspiel quickly captivated a wide audience. At once entertaining and sophisticated, the story follows Prince Tamino and Papageno who face a series of trials to rescue the princess Pamina from the clutches of Sarastro. It journey full of dangers, at the end of which lies the hope for a self-determined future together.

It is fair day in Bohemia; the entire village is drinking and celebrating merrily – except Marie, who remains sad. Because of old family ties, her father insists that she marries a man she does not know. The matchmaker Kezal has arranged what appears to be a profitable deal for everyone involved, by which the wealthy Wenzel and Marie are to become a couple. But Marie has already sworn eternal fidelity to her beloved Hans and now steadfastly refuses to give in. Then, however, a new agreement is made: Kezal persuades Hans to give up Marie for 300 gulden. Everyone is shocked: Hans sells his bride! That everything ultimately turns out well, that love prevails and the dealmaker comes away empty-handed, is due not only to Marie’s strong will and a clever trick by Hans, but also to a traveling circus troupe and a bear costume.

The Bartered Bride

It all starts with a bet. Prodded by the experienced Don Alfonso, Ferrando and Guglielmo want to test the fidelity of their fiancées Dorabella and Fiordiligi. So the two young men fake a call-up to war, return in disguise and then proceed to woo the other's fiancée respectively. Soon they succumb to her powers of seduction, because COSÌ FAN TUTTE – that's how everyone does it. But now an emotional confusion unfolds. Who actually loves whom now?

Claudia Rohrbach

Events

Upcoming events

Sep 27 - Dec 20, 2026

Der Rosenkavalier · Oper Köln

Dec 13, 2026 - Mar 27, 2027

The Magic Flute · Oper Köln

Feb 28 - Apr 25, 2027

The Bartered Bride · Oper Köln

Apr 10 - May 8, 2027

Così Fan Tutte · Oper Köln

Past events

Mar 29 - May 3, 2026

Die Walküre · Oper Köln

1 - 28 Mar, 2026

Le Nozze di Figaro · Oper Köln

Future and recently performed repertoire

Despina in Così fan tutte by Mozart

Oper Köln

Ludmila in The Bartered Bride by Smetana

Oper Köln

1. Dame in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Oper Köln

Miss Marianne Leitmetzerin in Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss

Oper Köln

Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart

Oper Köln

Ortlinde in The Valkyrie by Wagner

Oper Köln

About

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