A square in Sevilla. Soldiers are whiling away the time in front of their guardhouse. Micaela enters and asks after Don Jose, who, however, is not expected until the changing of the guard. She says she will return again and runs off as the men laugh at her.

Carmen

Max-Joseph-Platz

A grand decorative opera on the one hand: ancient saga! War between Rome and Gaul, but Norma is also a psychologically fine-grained chamber play about a highly complex woman in the throes of terrible conflicts: Norma, high priestess of the Druids and mistress of the Roman proconsul Pollione. When she is betrayed, this "Casta Diva", this "chaste goddess" is determined to take revenge. It all ends terribly: a love-death burning at the stake! The madness, ecstasy and beauty of total bel canto!

NORMA

The two closely related powerful women, whose graves now lie right beside each other in London’s Westminster Abbey, were “Of One Blood”, so of the same blood. Both were of course as conceivably far apart as possible during their lives. Elizabeth I ruled for almost half a century as Queen of England and Ireland, while Mary Stuart reigned over Scotland for a quarter of a century. A bitter power struggle between the Protestant hegemony and the Catholic opposition and ultimately the pressure of parliament forced the English Queen to have Mary Stuart executed.

Of One Blood

"If you travel to India and to Central Africa, you'll hear Trovatore.“ Nine years after the triumphant first performance, Verdi's opera had achieved the worldwide popularity that moved the composer to make this comment. The fabric of the opera could hardly be more gloomy: a gypsy who wishes to avenge the death of her mother at the stake, a count who wishes to use the execution of this gypsy to strike at his rival; a horrifying truth that is revealed at the moment of death. All the ingredients of Verdi's dramatic abundance appear here: mysterious sound worlds, harsh contrasts, vocal brilliance, opulent tableaux. The cohesive narrative style gives way to the variation of suggestive musical images with which Verdi served "the most important part of the drama“: revenge.

Il Trovatore

In the portrait concerts of the Opera Studio, two singers and a pianist from the Opera Studio present themselves. The program consists exclusively of song repertoire, which is selected by the singers in consultation with the pianists and, along with operas, forms an important part of the vocal repertoire. The portrait concerts offer the possibility to get to know the three artists in their own way and with their history in a nice atmosphere.

Portrait Concert 3

Artist House

Heartache, heartbreak, the whole nine yards – four starving artists – love in a shabby attic loft – the swank boulevards where people live life with a capital "L", but Mimi is destined to die. Her tiny hand: ice cold! Otto Schenk's incredibly opulent, eternally valid production continues to fascinate audiences. All of Paris is magically transported onto the stage here.  So beautiful you could cry!

La Bohème

As the template for his opera, Die Englische Katze (1983), Hans Werner Henze turned to a story by Honoré de Balzac from the early 1840s, illustrated by the famous caricaturist, Grandville. The libretto for Die Englische Katze was delivered by the English author Edward Bond, with whom Henze had already collaborated successfully with his previous opera, We Come to the River. If this was a passionate plea against the war, at first glance this animal parable, Die Englische Katze, appears to be apolitical, indeed, even harmless or amusing. The story about the ageing tomcat, Lord Puff, president of a vegetarian-nourishing “Royal Society for the Protection of Rats” and his young wife Minette, who falls in love with another, daring and exciting tomcat, Tom, ends tragically however, and serves as a wicked satire. Minette is drowned by the other cats, Tom is stabbed in the back, just after he has inherited a large sum of money. The insensitive, hypocritical cat society that only looks out for its own benefit gets off scot free.

Michael Butler

Events

Past events

13 - 21 Jun, 2026

Carmen · Bayerische Staatsoper

May 22 - Jul 20, 2026

NORMA · Bayerische Staatsoper

Future and recently performed repertoire

Flavio in Norma by Bellini

Bayerische Staatsoper

Un messo in Il trovatore by Verdi

Bayerische Staatsoper

Parpignol in La bohème by Puccini

Bayerische Staatsoper

Remendado in Carmen by Bizet

Bayerische Staatsoper

Male Courtier I / Lord Darnley in Of One Blood by Dean

Bayerische Staatsoper

Lord Puff in The English Cat by Henze

Bayerische Staatsoper

About

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