Name: Common Ground
Start: 2026-07-14T19:30:00
Location: Max-Joseph-Platz

The Bayerische Staatsoper is all set to enthrall audiences with a captivating array of performances, ranging from timeless operas to innovative ballets. This season, expect to be taken on a journey through themes of power, seduction, redemption, and artistic exploration. With productions like The Marriage of Figaro, Faust, and the compelling Waves and Circles ballet series, this is an enthralling blend of the classical and the contemporary. Join us as we delve into the highlights, notable performers, and the enduring impact of these creative works.

Bayerische Staatsoper's Vibrant Line-Up: A Rich Tapestry of Operas and Ballets

Mikhail Agrest

Alexander Ekman

Johan Inger

Bregje van Balen

Hans van Manen

Jean Paul Vroom

Tom Visser

Bayerische Staatsoper

Count Almaviva has himself abolished the iusprimae noctis, or "right of the lord". A fact, however, which does not prevent him from trying to seduce the Countess’s maid, Susanna, just before her marriage to Figaro. A clear case of sexual harassment. But, what happens when the culprit has plenty of money and power? Or, can even bend the law to suit their wishes? Le nozze di Figaro was more than just a comedy back in Mozart’s day. The world portrayed is brim full of criminal machinations and blatant fraud and chicanery by the powerful and almighty. Lorenzo Da Ponte’s libretto based on the scandalous play by the French revolutionary, Beaumarchais, leads the colourful characters of a comedy of the classes into situations so hopeless that emptiness and the desire to die spread to all quarters. And so the Count’s love for his new wife following their marriage suddenly goes ice-cold, although he has just recently spectacularly freed her from the clutches of her custodian. The resourceful Figaro of all people had helped him here, and in gratitude, the Count now employs him as his personal valet, perhaps as questionable compensation for Susanna’s harassment. Hardly conquered, the countess finds herself neglected and longs for either Almaviva's love or her own death. It takes a great deal of intrigue and counter-intrigue to disempower the encroaching count and allow Susanna's wedding to her beloved Figaro to take place after all.

The Marriage Of Figaro

Max-Joseph-Platz

Munich Residence

Understanding common requirements is part of the nature of artistic work. From there on progress can be made and new work created. The three choreographers whose works form the Common Ground performance share a connection with the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) in The Hague. Along with a shared artistic conviction, in which humour also has its place, their choreographies are interwoven with connections filled with subtle content – and all of them have had world premieres at the NDT. The first two are inspired by music for string quartet. And the first and third pieces are each based in their own way on the concept of seduction.

Common Ground

"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 5

Artist House

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

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

A European woman in the hands of Muslim fundamentalists. A western rescue mission goes awry. Execution by the special unit is a foregone conclusion. But: vengeance is nothing - forgiveness everything! Unfortunately only a very few have the greatness of heart to exercise it. Mozart's contribution to the clash of civilizations and a not-to-be-underestimated comedy for music.

The Abduction From The Seraglio

The people are thirsty for blood. Another suitor for the hand of the sovereign is about to be publicly beheaded, because Princess Turandot is determined never to belong to any man. That’s why anyone who wants to marry her must first solve three riddles. Anyone who fails has to pay with his life. An unknown prince, revolted by Turandot’s cruelty, yet attracted by her beauty, takes on this potentially lethal risk – and solves the riddles. But has he awakened the ice-cold, man-murdering sovereign to love and put an end to her barbarity?

Turandot

Portrait Concert 6

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

In astronomy, the term “constellation” describes the position of the heavenly bodies in relation to one another, and that indeed seen from the earth. This concept can be transposed to works of art very much in general or very specifically with relation to ballets, and so a kind of expedition is undertaken in the Constellations ballet performance. How five or six shorter ballets or ballet excerpts behave with one another, when they are intentionally juxtaposed with each other, is examined here. Laurent Hilaire will select pieces for Constellations, whose choreographers have a special connection with the Staatsballett’s repertoire or whose works have already been shown in Munich. Munich audiences can therefore look forward to seeing both old and fleeting friends once again. The goal here is to spread a new network of relationships across the selected works and work excerpts, both visual and audible.

Constellations

Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding

Richard Wagner wrote Die Walküre as the second of four parts of the powerful musical theatre epic, Der Ring des Nibelungen, which is based on the Medieval Nibelungenlied and old Norse god sagas. Wotan, the highest god, has fathered twins with a mortal woman – Siegmund and Sieglinde. These two in turn have a child, in which Wotan sees his dominion consolidated. His wife Fricka defies his plans and, as protector of the traditional marriage rites, demands Siegmund’s death. Wotan reluctantly agrees, although it will cause a split with his favourite daughter.

Common Ground

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