Singer

Six young people eke out a living with precarious work: Poet Rodolfo works at a newspaper and dreams of his breakthrough as a playwright. Marcello paints advertisements on walls. Philosopher Colline lives off private lessons. Musician Schaunard tinkers his way through bars. Mimì embroiders flowers on jewelry ribbons. Musetta keeps wealthy lovers.

La bohème

Halle Opera House

A quirky comedy of oversized egos in a dysfunctional first family brought the 24-year-old Handel his breakthrough in the Italian opera scene, and thus in the world. Sparkling melodies and hair-raising turf wars made him "everybody's darling" in the "Las Vegas" of the 18th century – Venice was then Europe's number one entertainment capital. His nickname "Il caro Sassone – Our dear Saxon" came about with "Agrippina." “In every second without music, clapping and shouts of ‘Viva il caro Sassone – Long live the dear Saxon!’ and other expressions of applause, too exaggerated to quote here, shook the theater,” reported John Mainwaring. “Everyone was astonished by the grandeur and sublimity of his style, for until then no one here had heard anything remotely resembling such powerful harmonies and such dense modulations, combined in such a magical way.”

Agrippina

With the fifth new production of Handel’s Agrippina in the history of Halle Opera, two world stars will be making their first appearance at the Handel Festival on the Saale: the British conductor Laurence Cummings, formerly director of the Handel Festivals in London and Göttingen and today music director at the Academy of Ancient Music London, and the Serbian scenic designer Aleksandar Denić, known for his powerful graphic creations for Emir Kusturica and Frank Castorf. Together with Walter Sutcliffe, they are creating a vibrant new perspective on Handel’s youthful work. Romelia Lichtenstein leads an international cast of prominent guest singers and ensemble members. This melodious comedy of oversized egos in a dysfunctional First Family gave the 24-year-old composer his breakthrough. It shows a society driven by greed for power, vanity, cunning and stupidity in a complex plot with numerous, fortuitous reversals of situation.

EPSG:4326

The Opera Halle

One must imagine Gioacchino Rossini as a hard-working man. In 1810, at just 18 years old, he wrote his first opera. By the age of 20, he was considered Italy's most sought-after opera composer; by his 22nd birthday, he had written 13 operas and was known far beyond Italy's borders. "The Barber of Seville" remains his undisputed masterpiece and rightly belongs to the core operatic repertoire.

The Barber of Seville

A traveling journeyman, through his flute playing and with the help of a musical mechanism built by Master Florian, prevents a rather decadent princess from being lynched by her own people.

The Music Box and the Princess

Opera Café

The story of a hungry mouse who sneaks into a chef's kitchen invites children aged 3 and up to participate and sing along. Also featured are an elf who speaks with violin notes and a keen assistant who makes all the kitchen objects ring. Only together with them and the children does the mouse finally manage to soften the chef's heart.

Bass

Michael Zehe

Events

Upcoming events

Feb 20 - Jun 13, 2026

Agrippina · Staatskapelle Halle

Mar 28 - Apr 19, 2026

The Barber of Seville · Staatskapelle Halle

Apr 1 - May 24, 2026

The Music Box and the Princess · Staatskapelle Halle

Apr 7 - Jun 20, 2026

Kitchen Opera · Staatskapelle Halle

Past events

Feb 22, 2026

La bohème · Staatskapelle Halle

Feb 20 - Jun 13, 2026

Agrippina · Staatskapelle Halle

Future and recently performed repertoire

Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville by Rossini

Staatskapelle Halle

Lesbo in Agrippina by Handel

Händel-Festspiele Halle

Schaunard in La bohème by Puccini

Staatskapelle Halle

The castellan in Das Spielwerk und die Prinzessin by Schreker

Staatskapelle Halle

About

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