Singer

“Having escaped the storm of the elements, Otello will succumb to the storms of his own self.”
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What an opening to an opera! Amid an apocalyptic storm, a naval battle rages off the coast of Venice. Without warning, Giuseppe Verdi transports us into the action with thunder, lightning, and cannon shots; we can almost feel the storm and spray on our skin. The situation seems hopeless for the Venetian fleet—then their general, Otello, appears unscathed and victorious at the harbor. He has defeated not only his enemies, but also the forces of nature. But how will this war hero cope in civilian life? Traumatic memories haunt him; an all-encompassing mistrust has taken hold of him; he feels isolated from society; no one can get through to him. In this atmosphere, his relationship with his wife crumbles before our eyes and ears. Desdemona was once the only person with whom Otello could be completely himself; now he eyes her suspiciously and threatens her. Verdi's music depicts Othello's journey from celebrated soldier to murderer of his wife, whose love he simultaneously longs for.

Otello

Staatstheater Hannover

Azucena swears revenge. Her mother was burned as a witch by the old Count Luna. She kidnaps one of his sons, but in her madness kills her own son. She then raises the kidnapped Manrico - but his true origins remain a secret. In the later civil war for the succession to the throne of Aragon, Manrico not only faces the young Count Luna on the battlefield, they also vie for the love of the lady-in-waiting Leonora. Neither of them knows that they are actually brothers... In "Il trovatore", Giuseppe Verdi tells a story full of twists and turns, driven by love, jealousy and revenge. His music is just as varied as the emotions of his characters and gives the opera, which takes place almost entirely at night, its dark mood. With its wealth of melodies, the opera has been a mainstay of the musical theater repertoire since its premiere in 1853.

Il trovatore

Staatstheater Braunschweig

“Have you tortured me enough?”
Floria Tosca lives entirely for music and her love for the artist Mario Cavaradossi. When Cavaradossi is sentenced to death for his political activism against an inhumane regime, the singer too is on the brink. The jealous Baron Scarpia tries to blackmail Tosca: If she wants to save her lover from execution, she must give herself to Scarpia. Tosca pretends to accept the deal – and stabs Scarpia. But the path to freedom is deceptive. Scarpia's power extends beyond death.
In hardly any other opera are personal passion and political arbitrariness so closely intertwined and yet so cruelly exposed as in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca from 1900. The relentless reckoning with abuse of power and machinations, coupled with a deeply moving love story, continues to electrify audiences today, with a score that combines gripping drama and nerve-wracking tension with moments of enchanting beauty. Arias like Tosca's "Vissi d'arte" and Cavaradossi's "É lucevan le stelle" are not without reason considered icons of Italian vocal art.

Soprano

Cristiana Oliveira

Events

Upcoming events

Dec 13, 2025 - Jan 9, 2026

Tosca · Staatstheater Hannover

Past events

Sep 24 - Oct 10, 2025

Otello · Staatstheater Hannover

Sep 11, 2024

Il trovatore · Staatstheater Braunschweig

Future and recently performed repertoire

Desdemona in Otello by Verdi

Staatstheater Hannover

Leonora in Il trovatore by Verdi

Staatstheater Braunschweig

Floria Tosca in Tosca by Puccini

Staatstheater Hannover

About

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