»The Nose« is the stroke of genius of the just 22-year-old Dmitri Shostakovich based on the novel of the same name by Nikolai Gogol. While Gogol's novella is a satire on tsarist officials, the opera, which premiered in 1930, brings to the stage an entire society in which an opportunistic official falls into the clutches of bureaucracy, a nose becomes a media sensation, and the police closely monitor its citizens. With dance music, balaleika sounds, Russian church music and the first pure percussion piece in music history, »The Nose« is no less grotesque than the strange occurrences it tells: the nose of college assessor Kovalev suddenly disappeared for no reason.

The Nose

Semper Zwei

Gaul has been entirely conquered by the Romans. The Gauls would have revolted against their occupiers long ago if it weren’t for the priestess Norma, who, evoking Irminsul, the god of war, continually demands that the uprising be postponed. In fact, Norma wishes to prevent war because she is the secret lover of the Roman proconsul Pollione, to whom she has borne two children. But Pollione’s imminent recall forces action, and when Norma discovers that the Roman has long since fallen in love with the young Druid priestess Adalgisa, she declares war against Rome. Then she reveals her own treachery to the Gauls. But what is Norma’s plan? – First performed in Milan in 1831, »Norma« is the most famous opera by Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini. In his Dresden production, stage director Peter Konwitschny exposes the political core of this story of a woman who shakes the very foundations of her state.

Norma

Semperoper Dresden

Gioachino Rossini's comic opera "The Barber of Seville," premiered in 1816, is subtitled "Useless Caution" – and that's precisely what it's about: Filled with jealousy, the old Doctor Bartolo tries to keep his ward Rosina at home so he can marry her for his own rich inheritance. But in vain: The young and far more charming Count Almaviva gains access to the young woman's heart thanks to a masquerade and the help of the barber Figaro. With its virtuoso arias and fast-paced ensembles, "The Barber of Seville" is Rossini's most popular opera.

Il barbiere di Siviglia

The fool in Nikolaus Lehnhoff’s production of Rigoletto is clad in poisonous green, and equally toxic is his mockery of the gaggle of courtiers around the Duke of Mantua. But emotionally the fool is a mess, constantly worried about his daughter Gilda, whom he jealously shields from the clutches of the Duke, an infamous rake. When Gilda nevertheless falls victim to the Duke, Rigoletto swears bloody vengeance. But the plan backfires … The hugely successful premiere of Rigoletto took place at the Teatro La Fenice in 1851. Giuseppe Verdi created a score which he himself described as ”revolutionary“ in its ground-breaking musical and dramatic intensity. The end result is a deeply shocking work, and perhaps the best opera by the great Italian.

Roxana Incontrera

Events

Upcoming events

8 - 30 May, 2026

Rigoletto · Semperoper Dresden

Past events

18 - 30 Sep, 2022

The Nose · Semperoper Dresden

2 - 31 Oct, 2021

Norma · Semperoper Dresden

Future and recently performed repertoire

Contessa di Ceprano in Rigoletto by Verdi

Semperoper Dresden

Clotilde in Norma by Bellini

Semperoper Dresden

Praskovia Osipovna in The Nose by Shostakovich

Semperoper Dresden

Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini

Semperoper Dresden

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