Singer

For racist reasons, Leonora's father disapproves of her relationship with the stranger Alvaro. The two, however, refuse to let go of each other and decide to flee. In doing so, Alvaro unwittingly becomes the father's murderer. Leonora's brother seeks revenge for his father, and a cycle of violence ensues. La forza del destino is Giuseppe Verdi's most expansive opera: a spectacular portrayal of close family ties in times of war, of the Church, of escapism – like a painting by Brueghel. And no matter how much the protagonists resist, they experience life and the world as determined by fate, without escape and without hope for peace and forgiveness.

La forza del destino

City Theatre, Bern

With the world premiere of his one-act opera, VIOLANTA, the 18-year-old Erich Wolfgang Korngold shifted overnight from child prodigy to one of the leading opera composers of his generation. For VIOLANTA not only heralded the arrival of a young maestro who was as independent as he was variegated in his musical palette, who had an unerring feel for how to render his vision on stage, and who could write melodies that were both expressive and catchy to boot; the 75-minute work to a libretto by Hans Müller, later to be known for co-writing THE WHITE HORSE INN, also served notice that Korngold had caught a contemporary Viennese mood that encapsulated Art Nouveau, psychoanalysis and an end-of-days atmosphere, a quintessence framed by Freud, Klimt and Schnitzler – all mirrored perfectly in the storyline: Violanta, the wife of Venice’s governor, plots during Carnival to avenge, through assassination, her sister, who committed suicide after being seduced by Prince Alfonso. When the moment comes, however, she acknowledges her true motive: to snuff out her own desire to abandon herself to passion. She sacrifices herself to free herself from “lust and guilt”.

Violanta

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Russia, at the dawn of the seventeenth century. Following the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry, son of Ivan the Terrible, the people long for a ruler who can put an end to hunger and oppression. Boyar Boris Godunov is installed on the throne, but doubts about his involvement in the murder undermine his power. He himself is consumed by remorse …

Tenor

Mihails Culpajevs

Events

Upcoming events

10 - 29 Jun, 2027

Boris Godunov · La Monnaie / De Munt

Past events

May 5 - Jun 19, 2026

La forza del destino · Bühnen Bern

Jan 25 - Feb 13, 2026

Violanta · Deutsche Oper Berlin

Future and recently performed repertoire

Don Alvaro in La forza del destino by Verdi

Bühnen Bern

Grigory in Boris Godunov by Mussorgsky

La Monnaie / De Munt

Alfonso, son of the King of Naples in Violanta by Korngold

Deutsche Oper Berlin

About

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