Name: The Magic Flute
Start: 2026-07-04T19:00:00
Location: Semperoper Dresden

Experience the vibrant cultural tapestry at Semperoper Dresden, where timeless operas like 'The Magic Flute' and 'Roméo et Juliette', captivating children's workshops, and lively jazz nights create a hub of artistic expression. Discover how Semperoper transforms into a realm of adventure and creativity, offering something for everyone - from opera aficionados to curious young minds.

Inside Semperoper Dresden: A Journey Through Music, Fairy Tales, and Jazz

Dive into the world of opera and ballet at Semperoper Dresden, where captivating performances and enriching children's programs unfold. From the timeless 'The Magic Flute' by Mozart to the deeply moving 'Roméo et Juliette' by Gounod, these productions showcase the incredible talents of performers and creators alike. Meanwhile, Semperoper Aktiv! offers young minds an exciting peek behind the scenes, fostering creativity and curiosity. Join us as we explore these cultural gems and their impact on audiences of all ages.

Behind the Curtains: Opera and Ballet at Semperoper Dresden

Joshua Hopkins

Georg Zeppenfeld

Victoria Randem

Christa Mayer

Jongwoo Hong

Ute Selbig

Mario Lerchenberger

Felix Krieger

Maria Perlt-Gärtner

Stepanka Pucalkova

Walter Vogelweider

Josef E. Köpplinger

Fabio Antoci

Ricarda Regina Ludigkeit

Dagmar Morell

Semperoper Dresden

Mozart’s most popular opera is a deeply humane story of adventure with heavenly music.

The Magic Flute

Every last Saturday of the month,  Semperoper Aktiv! invites  children to the Semperoper for an afternoon! We enter the opera house through the stage door, as only the staff usually do, and explore the many facets of the house in a playful way: Whether it's a workshop on a current production, a movement or sound workshop, or a look behind the scenes—there's something for everyone!

Meeting point: Stage entrance : Magic instruments sound

Meeting point: Stage entrance :Fairytale stories

Meeting point: Stage entrance : Fantastic children's room

Meeting point: Stage entrance :Fairytale characters

Meeting point: Stage entrance : A look behind the scenes with a puzzle rally

Meeting point: Stage entrance : A look behind the scenes

Is Carmen’s gaze only to be compared with that of a wild animal? The French writer Prosper Mérimée explored this question in his novella Carmen, which was the basis for Georges Bizet’s (1838-1875) final opera, which premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 3 March 1875. Carmen’s air of seduction is both her weapon and her downfall, for in the end she dies at the hands of her jealous lover, Don José. Carmen refuses to be told what to do and certainly doesn’t want to be rescued by Don José in the shifting sands in front of the bullfighting arena. She prefers death to having her life decided by others. In the extremely popular and passionate “Habanera” aria, which is our first encounter with Carmen, she paints a picture of herself: “Love is a rebellious bird that none can tame.” Her indomitable desire for freedom is stamped in her DNA.

Carmen

“How am I supposed to do that? I'm going mad!” On Fadinard’s wedding day, his horse eats the straw hat of a lady having a bit of fun with her lover in the bushes. But Anaide doesn’t dare return to her jealous husband Beaupertuis without her new Florentine hat: she simply has to get hold of a new one! An odyssey full of hijinks begins, taking Fadinard across the length and breadth of Paris ...

The Italian Straw Hat

Christmas Eve, 1871. In Cairo’s newly built opera house, the curtain rises on the premiere of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida. This is a turning point in cultural history, when an occidental passion for exoticism and an oriental interest in European high culture come together to create great art. Very few works of opera have achieved such widespread popularity. And rightly so: with its thrilling musical effects, exotic sounds and tableaux, the colourful instrumentation and monumental scenes alternating with moments of great intimacy, Aida is a true musical and dramatic treasure trove. And that’s not all. Through the tragic love affair between the Ethiopian princess Aida and the Egyptian army commander Radamès, torn between the interests of state, church and family, Giuseppe Verdi reflects on the crisis-ridden plight of the modern individual, ending with a highly moving plea for the utopian power of love.

Aida

Who am I? And how do I find out? Two soloists and a string quartet: sometimes that’s all it takes. Laura Kamsinky’s opera As One sensitively describes Hannah’s path to self-discovery. Based on the biography of Kimberly Reed – who co-wrote the libretto with Mark Campbell – it tells the story of a trans woman and her experiences with her family, with society and with herself. Since its world premiere in 2014, As One has become one of the most performed new operas in North America. The reviews have been glowing. According to the New York Classical Review: “As One is everything that we hope for in contemporary opera: topical, poignant, daring, and beautifully written.” And for Out Magazine, “(t)he success and beauty of As One is that it reveals epic emotions within an intimate frame.” Now visitors to Semper Zwei can also accompany Hannah on her journey from childhood to adulthood.

As One

Semper Zwei

A few days before the curtain rises on a premiere, we invite you to enjoy a sneak preview of a new production by eavesdropping on part of an orchestral or staged rehearsal in the Semperoper or in Semper Zwei.

The Magic Flute

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