A blind old man teaches surviving children music-making. In a hospital a touring production of an opera entitled “Love and Guilt” is given, which shortly before it ends, is subject to a bombardment which wipes out all involved, including the audience. But again, music shepherds in hope in this dark world and the opera ends with a choral apotheosis.

Music for the living

Theater Bonn Opera House

Rome 1800. After the French Revolution, Napoleon’s army invades Italy, the church offers tough resistance. The painter Cavaradossi receives a commission to paint a picture depicting Mary Magdalene for a church chapel. When his lover Floria Tosca notices that the figure in the picture resembles a woman who has been praying in the church, she explodes in jealousy. To boot, the revolutionary Angelotti, who has escaped from the state penitentiary and is hiding in the same church, seeks asylum with the help of his old friend Cavaradossi.

Tosca

The main characters in Verdi’s reputed »accursed« opera are caught in a whirl of war and destruction. Don Alvaro in the process of eloping with Leonora is discovered by her father and Alvaro accidentally kills him. Before dying the father puts a curse on Leonora. Leonora’s brother Don Carlo resolves to pursue the two lovers and exact vengeance for his father’s murder. The characters over and over again try to evade their past, but it’s no use: the inexorable “forza del destino” (the power of fate) catches up with them.

The Power of Destiny (La forza del destino)

Tamino, a young prince, falls head over heels in love with the picture of the beautiful Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night. The Queen promises Tamino Pamina’s hand in marriage if he should succeed in freeing her from the clutches of majestic Sarastro. Tamino sets out with the amusing bird-catcher Papageno on a journey to the land of this mysterious ruler. The magic flute – a present from the Queen – will protect him on his way. The twosome together goes through a series of trials in which they are to maintain a vow of silence, prove themselves resolute and unwavering, and also demonstrate their courage.  While they oppose the forces of darkness, they learn the meaning of wisdom, friendship, and love.

The Magic Flute

How does one recognize a good song? Who decides on what basis it is to be judged?  Do you go by the opinion of the old masters, who insist that their own rules be followed to the letter, or by what you feel deep down in your heart, maybe a feeling of passionate love that you believe to contain some immediate truth? Is there perhaps a golden mean?

Tae Hwan Yun

Events

Past events

Jun 1 - Jul 10, 2025

Music for the living · Theater Bonn

3 - 18 May, 2025

Tosca · Theater Bonn

Future and recently performed repertoire

Shuttle in Tosca by Puccini

Theater Bonn

Trebuchet Mast in La forza del destino by Verdi

Theater Bonn

Tamino in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Theater Bonn

Balthasar Zorn in The Mastersingers of Nuremberg by Wagner

Theater Bonn

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