Name: Wie du warst! Wie du bist!
Start: 2026-07-11T20:00:00
Location: Bernhard Theater

Opernhaus Zürich offers a vibrant and diverse lineup of events that promise to enchant audiences. From the operatic interpretations of 'Hansel and Gretel' and 'The Bat' to the poignant ballet 'Clara', there's something for every art lover. The orchestral performances such as 'Altstaedt & Chan' and chamber concerts also highlight the versatility and talent of the musicians. Each event is a storytelling masterpiece, capturing the essence of human emotions and experiences, making Opernhaus Zürich the cultural hub for immersive and unforgettable artistic experiences.

A Tapestry of Sounds and Stories: Opernhaus Zürich's Captivating Line-Up

The Opernhaus Zürich is set to host an eclectic mix of events in 2025 and 2026, from timeless operas to avant-garde performances. Discover the rich tapestry of musical and dance events featuring renowned artists and innovative productions. From the powerful notes of Clara Schumann's life in 'Clara' to the thrilling suspense in 'Cardillac', each event promises to capture and engage audiences with its unique charm and artistic brilliance.

A Year of Musical Brilliance at Opernhaus Zürich: A Journey Through Sound and Dance

Liliana Nikiteanu

Stefan Schreiber

Francesco Palmieri

Azra Ramic

Antonio Jiménez Marín

Romane Bouffioux

Melda Umur

Simon Steen-Andersen

Roman Reeger

Opernhaus Zürich

In William Shakespeare’s drama «Romeo and Juliet», the power of love allows two young people to transcend ordinary human limitations. Thanks to Sergei Prokofiev’s music, the star-crossed lovers of Verona have conquered the ballet stage. He brilliantly captured the clashing of love and hate and the juxtaposition of tenderness and violence in his colorful, passionate score.

Romeo and Juliet

Zurich Opera House

In William Shakespeare's drama "Romeo and Juliet," the power of love allows two young people to transcend their limitations. The lovers of Verona have conquered the ballet stage thanks to the music of Sergei Prokofiev. He masterfully captured the clash of love and hate, and the juxtaposition of tenderness and violence, in his vibrant, passionate score. Cathy Marston brings the world's most famous love story to the stage with the Zurich Ballet as a world of contrasts, where everything can change in an instant: around the next corner awaits the love of your life, or perhaps death itself.

Under the musical direction of Gianandrea Noseda and Ann-Katrin Stöcker, the newly founded Kinderopernorchester performs excerpts from «Carmen» and «Hänsel und Gretel» alongside soloists and the Kinderchor der Oper Zürich.

Concert Kinderopernorchester­concert

The children's opera orchestra, with instrumentalists from all 35 music schools in the canton of Zurich, performs under the direction of Gianandrea Noseda and Ann-Katrin Stöcker, together with soloists from the Zurich Opera.

Children's Opera Orchestra

The work of the piano tuner is indispensable for any concert or opera, but it takes place away from the public eye. As with so many things in life, the pursuit of perfect tuning inevitably leads to compromise, thanks to extenuating circumstances. Music theorist Andreas Werckmeister understood this already at the end of the 17th century, when he toiled to understand the pitfalls of mean-tone temperament, trying to bring structure to the chaos. Alongside Werckmeister's cryptic-philosophical texts, compositions from Schütz to Charles Ives form the starting point for this music theater creation by Swiss theater artist Thom Luz. The work will be presented in the former «Kino Sternen» in Zurich-Oerlikon, which will open as the new «Oper im Quartier» venue starting in the 2026/27 season.

Werckmeister Harmonies

Jules Massanet’s «Werther», based on Goethe’s famous Sturm und Drang novel, is a poignant opera rife with emotion. The music subtly depicts the tense triangle of relationships between a love-sick young Werther, his darling Charlotte, and her staid fiancé Albert. Werther refuses to accept a life without dreams and finally – when faced with his unrequited love – takes his own life. Jonathan Tetlman, of the most successful of the new generation of tenors, makes his debut at the Opernhaus Zürich.

Werther

Marcos Morau’s « Nachtträume» was the Ballett Zürich highlight of the year in 2022, lauded as a «dance panopticon and abysmal Gesamtkunstwerk of dance, text, music, and impressive images» (NZZ). In his ninety-minute piece, the Spanish choreographer undertakes a disturbing nightmare journey with Ballett Zürich into the realms of power, powerlessness, and mindless allegiance. He succeeds in creating a profound analysis of the present, in which power and vanity, envy and greed for profit, social Darwinism and economic primacy all too often have us in a stranglehold. 

Night dreams

Tannhäuser lived for seven years in the dream world of the Venusberg, but even his return to the stifling society of Wartburg Castle brings no fulfillment. A pilgrim between worlds, he is homeless. The Icelandic director Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson, known for his compelling interpretations of mythical material and grand narratives, stages "Tannhäuser" as an existential drama of identity and a surreal journey into the human psyche. Wagner condensed the search for meaning and stability in a world that seems to be slipping away into a philosophical description of the world.

Tannhäuser

Open-Air-Concert

Sechseläutenplatz

Open-air concert

The «Next Generation» series gives up-and-coming choreographers their big chance. Every two years, dancers from Ballett Zürich and the Junior Ballett present their own choreographies – which they created for this event series – on the Opernhaus Studiobühne. They rehearse their new creations with their ensemble colleagues and have a chance to try their hand at creating stage sets and costumes. The «small format» of the evening supports the intensity and choreographic diversity of this multifaceted evening of ballet, and the result is a series of surprising experiments, clever dance snapshots and sensual highlights.

Next Generation

The depths of love are the subject of almost all of Mozart's operas – but none as exclusively as in "Così fan tutte." Ferrando and Guglielmo are convinced that their fiancées, Dorabella and Fiordiligi, are faithful to them. The men enter into a bet with Don Alfonso, who intends to prove them wrong with an experiment. But what begins as a harmless game turns into a cruel open-heart experiment... Kirill Serebrennikov's production is radically contemporary; Roberto González-Monjas, chief conductor of the Musikkollegium Winterthur, guides the audience through Mozart's brilliant yet ambiguous score.

Wie du warst! Wie du bist!

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