»Der Rosenkavalier« is a “literature opera”, a disguise comedy, a trial about the transience of time, about holding on and letting go. A work of modern times, which looks back to a completely different time, a homage to an invented past: at times melancholic-lyrical, at times in a waltz beat, at times in a comic parlando

Der Rosenkavalier

Oper Leipzig

To what lengths may a person to go to free themselves from terrible circumstances? The young Katerina, married into wealth yet lonely nonetheless, imprisoned in a mercilessly cold world dominated by men and controlled by its police force, is longing for something more. She is forced to hide her joie de vivre on account of her tyrannical father-in-law, and suppress her desires for love because her husband is impotent and distant. When he is away and the bravado Sergei starts working on the farm, she seems to have found a way out of this dull situation devoid of action. But in the end, four people are dead, including a murderess. Premiered in Leningrad in 1934, the acclaimed opera was intended to further fuel the promising career of the then 24-year-old Dmitri Shostakovich. But one visit to a performance by Stalin was enough for him to suspect the celebrated star of being a potential enemy of the regime. From then on, Shostakovich was forced to live and compose in oppressive fear. Yet where words are forbidden, his musical world simmers, sizzles and lies in wait to explode at the next touch.

Lady Macbeth von Mzensk

Two things must be known about Undines, aquatic beings in feminine form; first, they can only attain an immortal soul by marrying an earthly man. Second, if Undine's love is betrayed, she must kill the unfaithful man. When the knight Hugo falls in love with Undine, it seems that happiness is perfect at last, the wedding bells ring, the village rejoices and celebrates. But then Bertalda appears and the lake's water level ominously begins to rise.

Undine

»Either I am terribly mistaken, or ›The Queen of Spades‹ really is the crowning achievement of my life’s work!«, was Peter Tchaikovsky’s verdict on his penultimate opera, which premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg in 1890 and has captivated audiences ever since.

Pique Dame

The opera has barely gotten underway before the first death occurs and Don Giovanni is in hot pursuit. But this does not stop the seducer of all seducers from going after the next woman: he adores them all! His wildly colourful exploits sweep him through all social strata, regardless to whether the lady of choice is already involved with someone else. Even if one may have slight doubts when it comes to the total number of his conquests – 1470! – Don Giovanni's appeal amongst women is undeniable. But what exactly is his secret?

Don Giovanni

We've all been there: in hotels, you're always fascinated by people from all over the world and their customs! And when this motley crew find themselves in a tizzy because they all want to go to Paris for the coronation but are prevented from doing so by the transportation system? And when the Hotel zur Goldenen Lilie is run by an excellent proprietor like Madame Cortese, who is determined to make her guests' stay unforgettable, virtuoso, colorful entertainment is guaranteed. Love potions, deft personnel, fainting spells due to a missing hatbox, f librations and misunderstandings culminate in a banquet with international toasts: long live the monarch and long live international understanding!

The Journey to Reims

Rising from raging, fierce tempests of the sea stands a triumphant hero: Otello! The illustrious general is in love with the enchanting Desdemona. Against her father's will, she frees herself from the golden cage and now loves the man who dazzles so brilliantly amidst the splendor of society, yet remains so distant. As Jago takes the stage and plants seeds of doubt, jealousy begins to grow in Otello.

Otello

La Traviata is the final work in the Trilogia Popolare, Verdi’s trio of masterpieces written between 1850-52. Once again, he was inspired by an outsider: after the jester in Rigoletto and the gypsy Azucena in Il Trovatore, the courtesan Violetta Valéry -- a woman whose charm surpasses her predecessors -- takes center stage here. The Parisian demimonde is the setting for the story of the unconditional and hopeless love between Alfredo Germont and the terminally ill Violetta. From the very beginning, their love is threatened not only by death, but also by the norms of the society and the honor of a family.

La Traviata

The curtain rises, and the stage is bathed in the light of a thousand candles. Stage director and designer Michiel Dijkema’s spectacular vision plays off of Puccini’s music, drawing the audience into the fickle worlds of love and power, church and state in Rome in 1800. Puccini’s Tosca at the Oper Leipzig is a suspense-filled crime drama, and a true celebration of the voice!

Tosca

Welcome to the mysterious fairy-tale world of the »Magic Flute«! Even the names of the characters sound magical and remind us of our first visits to the opera: Tamino, Pamina, Papageno, Sarastro … Hardly any other work of opera literature includes so many contradictory elements, so harmoniously combined into a coherent entity by Mozart's music . Is his arguably most popular opera an adventure story about growing up? A parable of wisdom, philosophy and friendship? Is it simply about staying true to oneself, like the bird catcher Papageno? He accompanies Prince Tamino, who has fallen in love with a picture of the kidnapped Pamina and plans to free her. We are reminded that the world cannot always be divided into good and evil: the Queen of the Night and Sarastro illustrate this to us through their quarrel over Pamina. On our journey we are also accompanied by three ladies, three boys, a glockenspiel, and a flute that tames even the wildest animals.

Peter Dolinšek

Events

Past events

14 - 29 Jun, 2025

Der Rosenkavalier · Oper Leipzig

25 - 29 May, 2025

Lady Macbeth von Mzensk · Oper Leipzig

Future and recently performed repertoire

Montano in Otello by Verdi

Oper Leipzig

Old forced laborer in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Shostakovich

Oper Leipzig

2nd man in armor in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Oper Leipzig

First Priest in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Oper Leipzig

Marchese d'Obigny in La traviata by Verdi

Oper Leipzig

Ein Polizeikommissar in Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss

Oper Leipzig

Masetto in Don Giovanni by Mozart

Oper Leipzig

Hans in Undine by Dvořák

Oper Leipzig

About

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