Singer

The end of the war, the return home and a fateful oath including human sacrifice. In his opera, which premiered in 1781, the 24-year-old Mozart explores the troubled soul of the war-wounded Cretan king Idomeneo in a tragic conflict of responsibility between raison d’état and private interests with dramatic intensity and new, exciting orchestral colours. In his production, director Philipp Westerbarkei examines the relationship between war and humanity.

Idomeneo

Oper Graz

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

Cologne Opera

An heir to the throne is murdered. Shortly afterwards, the world is in flames, the “last days of mankind” have begun. Over 100 years ago, the Austrian writer Karl Kraus documented the developments of the First World War and transformed them into a megalomaniac drama for a “Martian theatre”: “Theatre-goers of this world will not be able to withstand it”, he prophesied. How the world can suddenly slide into war is something Karl Kraus tries to capture in the 220 scenes of his monumental tragedy, along with the interaction of propaganda, media, religion, education and corporate greed that fuels the global conflagration. Street conversations, newspaper reports, advertising posters, slogans and discussions are unleashed by Kraus as satirical bullets.

EPSG:4326

The Last Days of Mankind

Staatenhaus Köln

Eine junge Frau, die von ihrem Bruder mit dessen Freund verheiratet wird, greift zum Messer, als der Bräutigam sich ihr in der Hochzeitsnacht nähern will. Im blutigen Nachthemd erscheint sie unter den Hochzeitsgästen – und rührt deren Herzen: Sie vermittelt dabei den alle ergreifenden Eindruck, die Stimme des größten Feindes ihres Bruders zu hören, den sie zu lieben scheint, und glaubt – offenbar dem Wahnsinn verfallen – nun Hochzeit mit ihm zu feiern.

Lucy of Lammermoor

He is probably the most famous playboy of all time: Don Giovanni. According to his servant Leporello, he has seduced 1,003 women in Spain alone. But who is Don Giovanni really? “Chi son io tu non saprai”, seems to be his answer to Donna Anna at the start of the opera, after he has tried to win her over by force. “You’ll never know who I am.” Indeed, his character defies any precise definition; he always remains changeable and unpredictable. Because Don Giovanni is a character without any consciousness. He is the principle that raises human questions about good and evil, desire and duty, transgression and punishment.

Don Giovanni

"Take me to the ball!" pleads Cinderella Angelina. However, her wish meets with rejection by her stepfather Don Magnifico and the selfish stepsisters Instead, she is treated like a maid, while the spoiled amily dreams of wealth - although everything is on the brink of ruin. But behind this false world lies a more beautiful one: A prince awaits Angelina and true values ​​triumph over false appearances. In the end, justice prevails: Angelina forgives her family and becomes not only a princess but also as a wise-hearted regent. In LA CENERENTOLA, Gioacchino Rossini combines virtuosic bel canto with the dream of a fairer world. Cecilia Ligorio's enthusiastically received production from the year 2022 returns to the schedule, under the musical direction by Matteo Beltrami.

La Cenerentola

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

This is a gripping operatic thriller of emotions, with which the then 21-year-old Gioacchino Rossini catapulted himself to the forefront of Italian composers from Venice in 1813: Amenaide is to obey her father's will and marry a man she does not love. In doing so, she contributes to ending the power struggle between two rival families in her hometown. Amenaide, in the meantime suspected of being a traitor and threatened with death, loves Tancredi, who returns to his hometown incognito, learns of the forced betrothal and kills his rival. But the trusting relationship with Amenaide is gone, Tancredi is desperate and wants to find death. Although an early work, TANCREDI with its lively melodies and resounding finales testifies to Rossini's musical inventiveness. It is above all the solo scenes in which the work builds up to its highlights. With the catchy cabaletta of the eponymous hero "Di tanti palpiti", the work contains a veritable opera hit, which in Italy effectively has the status of a folk song. The male main character Tancredi is in this case cast with a mezzo-soprano, a "trouser role" characteristic of the early 19th century. Musically, however, TANCREDI has much more to offer than this one big hit. Rossini developed new ways for the romantic Italian opera with his so-called "Rossini Code" also in terms of form - often a tempo d’attacco, an adagio, a tempo di mezzo and a cabaletta follow one another. The successful production of the Bregenz Festival from the year 2024, directed by Jan Philipp Gloger, is now being presented in Cologne. Jan Philipp Gloger, most recently in Cologne for the direction of EIN MASKENBALL, focuses his production on the love between two women who have little chance of self-fulfilment in a clan and macho world. The musical direction is held by George Petrou.

Tenor

Dmitry Ivanchey

Events

Upcoming events

Dec 25, 2025 - Jan 11, 2026

La Cenerentola · Oper Köln

1 - 28 Mar, 2026

Le Nozze di Figaro · Oper Köln

Jun 20 - Jul 5, 2026

Tancredi · Oper Köln

Past events

Oct 17 - Nov 30, 2025

Idomeneo · Oper Graz

5 - 27 Sep, 2025

The Magic Flute · Oper Köln

Future and recently performed repertoire

Argirio in Tancredi by Rossini

Oper Köln

Tamino in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Oper Köln

Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola by Rossini

Oper Köln

Basil in The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart

Oper Köln

Idomeneo in Idomeneo by Mozart

Oper Graz

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