Prepare for an enchanting journey at the Opernhaus Zürich, where timeless operatic masterpieces come to life, featuring the extraordinary talents of Camilla Nylund, Tomasz Konieczny, and Brenda Rae. With productions ranging from Wagner's legendary 'Der fliegende Holländer' to Verdi's poignant 'Rigoletto,' this season promises to captivate audiences with its stellar performances and rich storytelling. These carefully curated operas, steeped in cultural and historical significance, will be led by some of the finest conductors and performers, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all who attend.

Operatic Odyssey: A Journey Through Zurich's Masterpieces

Embark on a captivating journey through the rich tapestry of operatic and ballet performances at the esteemed Opernhaus Zürich. This season promises to enchant audiences with a diverse array of productions, including Jonathan Dove's 'In 80 Tagen um die Welt', a whimsical adventure for children and the young at heart; Verdi's gripping 'Un ballo in Maschera', steeped in political intrigue and romantic turmoil; and the evocative tragedy 'Madama Butterfly' by Puccini. From Beethoven's poignant 'Fidelio' to Korngold's haunting 'Die tote Stadt', each performance offers a unique glimpse into the world of opera, making Zürich a cultural haven for art lovers.

An Operatic Odyssey: Discover the Magic of Zürich's Diverse Performances

Opernhaus Zürich is offering a diverse array of events that invite participants to immerse themselves in the worlds of ballet, opera, and theater. From interactive workshops like 'Discover Ballet: Giselle' and 'open space stimme' to insightful guided tours and the enchanting children's opera 'In 80 Tagen um die Welt,' there's something for everyone. Dive into these experiences and gain unique perspectives on the artistry and behind-the-scenes magic of this renowned institution.

Dive into the Arts: Workshops and Tours at Opernhaus Zürich

Opernhaus Zürich opens its doors to a vibrant array of cultural experiences, ranging from immersive ballet workshops and voice exploration to exclusive behind-the-scenes tours and captivating operatic performances. From October 2024 to July 2025, the opera house invites everyone to explore the arts through hands-on workshops, insightful discussions, and guided tours. Whether you’re a dance enthusiast, opera lover, or curious newcomer, these events promise to enrich your understanding and appreciation of performing arts in the heart of Zurich.

Opera and Dance: A Kaleidoscope of Experiences at Opernhaus Zürich

Christopher Willoughby

Alina Adamski

Andrew Owens

Yajie Zhang

Nicholas Mogg

Liliana Nikiteanu

Rebeca Olvera

Indyana Schneider

Felix Gygli

Ruben Drole

Andrew Moore

Irène Friedli

Christian Sturm

Tomislav Jukic

Michael Richter

Hanna Sophie Stejskal

Peter Lund

Ulrike Reinhard

Kathrin Brunner

Franck Evin

Philharmonia Zürich

Statistenverein am Opernhaus Zürich

Opernhaus Zürich

Clara Schumann was very likely the most important pianist of her time. Her life – as a daughter, artist, wife, mother, carer, manager, and muse – was full of ups and downs, and she devoted it entirely to music. In a world dominated by men, she displayed a degree of independence and self-determination that was astonishing for a woman of her time.

Cathy Marston follows the path of this exceptional artist, and focuses on Clara and her divorced parents, her relationship with Robert Schumann, and her connection with Johannes Brahms in her ballet, which premiered in 2024. She tells of devotion and passion, inspiration and responsibility.

Clara

Zurich Opera House

Scylla lives withdrawn into herself, as if in emotional hibernation. Reason, peace, and harmony reign in her cosmos. When Glaucus enters her life, everything changes: She experiences love in all its colors and facets – and does not recognize herself. The opera describes all the lust, wildness, panic, and despair that the young woman experiences as she rediscovers the world for herself. In the end, she will be someone else. Jean-Marie Leclair's rarely performed only opera is a musical discovery. Director Claus Guth returns to Opernhaus Zürich with this new production.

Scylla and Glaucus

The term «butterfly effect» is emblematic of the realization that in nature everything is connected to everything else and that the smallest interventions in a natural balance can trigger major effects. It is no different in art. In this program, the Junior Ballett, which embodies the dance of the future, explores the «Butterfly Effect». In addition to ballet director Cathy Marston, two representatives of a new generation of choreographers, Lucas Valente and Ihsan Rustem, created pieces for the Junior Ballet.

The Butterfly Effect

Although she is surrounded by many admirers, Arabella dreams only of the «right one». She finds him in Mandryka, the Croatian landowner. Opera history’s final idealized marriage of love was written on the precipice of disaster: The opera dates to a time of deep social insecurity. The operetta-like tone of Strauss’ «Lyrischer Komödie» is strangely fractured. When it premiered in Dresden in 1933, it was instrumentalized by the Nazis for propaganda purposes. 

Arabella

A coup attempt and his best friend a conspirator – yet Tito would rather relinquish his throne than base his power on fear and terror. "La clemenza di Tito" is a work that poses timeless questions about the use of power, guilt, and forgiveness. Mozart's late opera seria contains some of his most fascinating arias and ensembles. The rising tenor Giovanni Sala sings Tito, while Cecilia Bartoli interprets Sesto, one of her signature roles. The historically informed Orchestra La Scintilla performs under the direction of Gianluca Capuano.

La clemenza di Tito

An attempted coup is uncovered, and his best friend is a conspirator – but Tito would rather renounce his office as ruler than base his power on fear and terror. «La clemenza di Tito» is a work that poses timeless questions about how to deal with power, and about guilt and forgiveness. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s late opera seria contains some of his most beautiful arias and ensembles. Conductor Marc Minkowski returns to Opernhaus Zürich with this new production, as does Italian director Damiano Michieletto.

The clemency of Titus

Recital Michael Volle

Puccini’s one-act opera does not end with a tragic operatic death. The body of the rich Buoso Donati is already laid out when the curtain rises, his loudly lamenting relatives gathered around. But appearances can be deceiving. Puccini paints a family portrait of a shameless and greedy community of heirs. Even shrewd mastermind Gianni Schicchi is only out for himself. This lively ensemble piece is tailor-made for the members of the International Opera Studio. Up-and-coming director Lilli Fischer combines Puccini’s only comic opera with a newly developed prequel.

Gianni Schicchi

In order to free her husband Florestan, Leonore disguises herself as a male prison guard and sneaks into a prison. Beethoven’s only opera is infused with an unwavering belief in the power of hope. The powerful liberation music at the end anticipates the «Ode to Joy» from his Ninth Symphony. Andreas Homoki separates the plot from its bourgeois comic light opera context, focusing instead on the utopian idea of world brotherhood and the universal themes of humanity that Beethoven chose as his central focus. Klaus Florian Vogt, one of the most outstanding tenors of our time, will appear as Florestan.

Fidelio

Chamber music concerts are an important part of the program. In various formations and ensembles, the musicians of the Orchester der Oper Zürich explore a wide repertoire. At close quarters and in intimate spaces, audiences experience the intensity of the musicians as they make music. Each of the nine chamber music programs in the Spiegelsaal has its own individual focus: classics of the genre meet rarely heard works, and early music meets crossover.

9th Chamber Concert

Hall of Mirrors

«La Damnation de Faust» is one of Hector Berlioz's most revolutionary works, a dramatic journey to hell that is part opera, part oratorio. «I neither tried to translate Goethe’s masterpiece nor to imitate it, but simply let it work on me in an effort to grasp its musical content», the composer stated candidly. His multicolored music is imaginary theater, a journey into Faust’s interior, from which the devil Méphistophélès himself seems to emerge.

The Damnation of Faust

Opera in two acts by Jonathan Dove (*1959) for children from age 7 and up and the eternally young
based on the novel of the same name by Jules Verne, Libretto by Peter Lund
Commission of the Opernhaus Zürich

In 80 Tagen um die Welt

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