Name: Picture a Day like this
Start: 2026-05-24T18:00:00
Location: Cologne Opera

Cologne Opera is set to be the epicenter of a rich tapestry of performances in 2026, showcasing a diverse array of operatic and theatrical works. From a homage to Konrad Adenauer with 'E Levve för Kölle' to the comedic intricacies in Mozart’s 'Le Nozze di Figaro,' each production promises to offer an unforgettable experience. Audiences can immerse themselves in the powerful narratives and innovative presentations that bridge historical themes with contemporary artistic expressions, while celebrating both the local and global essence of opera.

Diving into Cologne's Operatic Tapestry: A 2026 Odyssey

Oper Köln unfolds a vibrant tapestry of operatic events, blending classic masterpieces with innovative workshops. From the captivating narrative of 'Le Nozze di Figaro' to the participatory exploration of 'Turandot' and 'The Marriage of Figaro,' audiences are invited to engage with the depth and diversity of opera. With contributions from renowned artists, these events promise a profound cultural experience. Join us as we delve into the world of opera, exploring themes of love, power, and human nature through the rich offerings of Oper Köln.

A Kaleidoscope of Opera: Exploring the Events by Oper Köln

Jessica Niles

Cameron Shahbazi

Christian Karlsen

Adriana Bastidas-Gamboa

Emily Hindrichs

Miljenko Turk

Marie La Rocca

Daniel Jeanneteau

Oper Köln

This is a gripping operatic thriller of emotions, with which the then 21-year-old Gioacchino Rossini catapulted himself to the forefront of Italian composers from Venice in 1813: Amenaide is to obey her father's will and marry a man she does not love. In doing so, she contributes to ending the power struggle between two rival families in her hometown. Amenaide, in the meantime suspected of being a traitor and threatened with death, loves Tancredi, who returns to his hometown incognito, learns of the forced betrothal and kills his rival. But the trusting relationship with Amenaide is gone, Tancredi is desperate and wants to find death. Although an early work, TANCREDI with its lively melodies and resounding finales testifies to Rossini's musical inventiveness. It is above all the solo scenes in which the work builds up to its highlights. With the catchy cabaletta of the eponymous hero "Di tanti palpiti", the work contains a veritable opera hit, which in Italy effectively has the status of a folk song. The male main character Tancredi is in this case cast with a mezzo-soprano, a "trouser role" characteristic of the early 19th century. Musically, however, TANCREDI has much more to offer than this one big hit. Rossini developed new ways for the romantic Italian opera with his so-called "Rossini Code" also in terms of form - often a tempo d’attacco, an adagio, a tempo di mezzo and a cabaletta follow one another. The successful production of the Bregenz Festival from the year 2024, directed by Jan Philipp Gloger, is now being presented in Cologne. Jan Philipp Gloger, most recently in Cologne for the direction of EIN MASKENBALL, focuses his production on the love between two women who have little chance of self-fulfilment in a clan and macho world. The musical direction is held by George Petrou.

Tancredi

Cologne Opera

The opera DER ROSENKAVALIER leads into the bedroom of a princess and straight into the intimate conversation with her youthful lover. Inspired by the ancient tragedy ELEKTRA, Richard Strauss and the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal envisioned something entirely new: a comedy for music. Cheerful, light, and elegant, conciliatory yet profound in its emotions and thoughts – and, of course, Austrian in its burlesque wit while at the same time touched by melancholy reflection. Thus the authors created the famous figure of the Field Marshal's wife, Princess Werdenberg who bears the first name Marie-Thérèse for good reason and entrusted her with the leading role in the opera DER ROSENKAVALIER, premiered in 1911.

Der Rosenkavalier

As the court jester to the Duke of Mantua, Rigoletto is no less scrupulous than his absolutist master, who seduces women at will and has men killed on a whim. Rigoletto seeks to protect his daughter Gilda from this world, but the Duke has already set his sights on the innocent young woman. When Gilda gives herself to the seducer driven by love and idealism, Rigoletto's carefully constructed wall of protection collapses, and he himself is made a fool: his belief that he could strictly separate the corruption of court society from his private happiness proves to be a fatal illusion.

Rigoletto

Once upon a time... there was a king who had three children. In the kingdom, the crown had always been passed on to the son or daughter deemed most suitable to rule. A ring served as the symbol of power, which the king must hand over before his death.

The king gives something away

Jiří Kylián is one of the legendary figures of the international dance scene. For over three decades, he shaped the artistic profile of the Nederlands Dans Theater, which under his direction developed into one of the world’s leading contemporary dance companies. What unites Kylián’s choreographies is their poignant beauty and a lightness of movement that goes hand in hand with deep musicality, expressive emotionality, and profound introspection. In BELLA FIGURA (1995), Kylián embarks on a fascinating journey through time and thought, once again engaging with fundamental questions of human existence and seeking to transcend the rigid boundaries between dream and reality, illusion and truth. Set to a blend of early and contemporary music – Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Lucas Foss – this work, now part of the international repertoire, brings together breathtaking duets, trios, and quartets.

Three masterpieces

It is the first murder in human history, yet, as we know, not the last. For according to biblical tradition, we are all descended from a murderer: Cain, the first human to be born on earth. Together with his younger brother Abel, he is raised by his parents Adam and Eve in reverence for God. But when Abel’s ritual offerings are favored one day, dark impulses break through: Cain kills Abel, thereby incurring the wrath of God.

Cain and Abel

Contemporary avant-garde and Caribbean sensuality – a ballet company full of surprises – this is the label under which Cuba’s largest dance company performs. Danza Contemporánea de Cuba looks back on a history spanning more than 50 years. It was founded in the very year of Fidel Castro’s revolution. All of its dancers are trained in Cuba’s great ballet tradition, which they continually expand by incorporating modern European and Latin American styles. Their repertoire is not limited to Cuban traditions; it ranges from choreographer George Céspedes from within the company to Spain’s Rafael Bonachela and Sweden’s Mats Ek. In Cologne, they present themselves for the first time with three very different works.

Reversible / Things 3XXI

Marla the mayfly has only one day to live. And she wants to discover and learn as much about the world as possible! She sets off on a journey and meets a variety of insects along the way: a beautiful dragonfly, a poetry-writing rhinoceros beetle, a tiny tardigrade with superpowers, and finally a species that does not yet have a name. Marla learns something from every insect. When she returns to the other mayflies, she can look back on a rich and fulfilling life.

Marla, The May Fly

What do we long for when we love? And can another person ever truly recognize our deepest desires – let alone fulfill them?

Hoffmann's Tales

“Such a little fat dachshund has never been seen here before,” Goethe’s mother wrote to her son in 1793 about a performance of DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (The Magic Flute) – a remark that reflects how Mozart’s Singspiel quickly captivated a wide audience. At once entertaining and sophisticated, the story follows Prince Tamino and Papageno who face a series of trials to rescue the princess Pamina from the clutches of Sarastro. It journey full of dangers, at the end of which lies the hope for a self-determined future together.

The Magic Flute

Every year, Cäcilia Wolkenburg presents the world premiere of a truly Cologne-style musical. More than one hundred singers and dancers – all volunteers who perform not for a living but purely out of a love for singing on stage – bring to life rousing music, large-scale choral arrangements, and ballet choreography, woven into a story that touches the “Kölsche Hätz” (the Cologne heart).

Wat e Thiater

The composer Hans Werner Henze traveled to Cuba ten years after the end of the revolution. He met composers, writers, and artists, performed one of his own works with the Havana Symphony Orchestra, and was full of curiosity about what music and art might mean to people in this new world. For Henze, his artistic work was always concerned with nothing other than human beings and their pursuit of happiness.

The Little Cuban

The opera begins like a mysterious fairy tale. A woman mourns her child, another consoles: "Find a happy person in this world and cut a button off his sleeve." Do it before night, and your child will live. A happy person. You have time until night. Finding a happy person seems easy. However, one disappointing encounter follows another. Happiness is like a mask that quickly falls when you look more closely. Then the path leads to the threshold of a wondrous and charming garden. PICTURE A DAY LIKE THIS is the new work by composer George Benjamin (*1960) and playwright Martin Crimp (*1956), who, since the triumphant premiere of WRITTEN ON SKIN, are considered among the most important authors of contemporary opera internationally. After two large-scale works, Benjamin and Crimp return to chamber opera with their fourth joint work. PICTURE A DAY LIKE THIS develops a story as touching as it is surprising about human nature. This creates a fine mosaic of music and narration. The production of the world premiere at the 2023 Festival Aix-en-Provence by Daniel Jeanneteau and Marie-Christine Soma alternates between realism and dreamlike fantasy and has since captivated audiences in France and England. Now the co-production with the Cologne Opera can be experienced as a German premiere at the Staatenhaus. "PICTURE A DAY LIKE THIS addresses the most existential questions in just one hour." […] George Benjamin's music is on point in every beat, with every note, and from the tightly held ensemble, he conjures a richness of colour that is astonishing. [...] To this end, Daniel Jeanneteau and Marie-Christine Soma create a subtly crafted Gesamtkunstwerk with enchanting lighting direction as well as high scenic density and elegance." (BR-Klassik)

Picture a Day like this

Articles & News