Ariadne auf Naxos
Richard Strauss
New production.
Opera in one act, with prologue.
Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal.
Premiered on October 4, 1916 at the Vienna State Opera, Austria.
Coproduction with the Opéra de Dijon.
Infos
Colmar
Théâtre municipal de Colmar
Mulhouse
La Sinne
Strasbourg
Opéra
Intermission included.
To help you better appreciate the works you are about to discover, we invite you to attend a “Prologue”— a brief 30-minute introduction — one hour before the performance.
Cast
Musical direction Christoph Koncz Stage direction Myriam Marzouki Choreography Jean-François Kessler Set design Alex Eales Costume design Laure Mahéo Lignting design Fabrice Kebour Dramaturgy Sébastien Lepotvin Orchestre national de Mulhouse
Artists
The Primadonna, Ariadne Eugénie Joneau The Tenor, Bacchus AJ Glueckert Zerbinetta Julie Roset The composer Dorottya Lang The music master Jochen Kupfer The Majordomo Christian Heller The dancing master Lucas Pauchet A Wigmaker Eduard Ferenczi Gurban A lackey Jiawen Li Harlequin James Newby Scaramuccio Aleksandre Khukhushvili Truffaldino Antoine Foulon Brighella Arwen Tanguy Naiad Naïma Wanshe Dryad Lucy Evans Echo Jessica Hopkins
Presentation
Ariadne auf Naxos stands as the quintessential meta-opera, crafted by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, whose collaboration ranks among the most significant composer-librettist partnerships in opera history. At its heart lies the intense struggle of the creative process. In the Prologue, we witness the final preparations for an opera centered on the figure of Ariadne, before attending the premiere of the new work. But nothing unfolds as planned: the mysterious patron announces changes to the performance just minutes before the curtain rises. Everyone must immediately reinvent themselves. This classic “play within a play” brims with sharp humor and profound insight, immersing the audience in a palpable sense of urgency and artistic tension.
The director Myriam Marzouki is no stranger to blending ancient mythologies with modern realities. In this story, she sees a perfect opportunity for a reflective mise en abyme, where reality and fiction collide and swirl, conveying the delicate balance between artistic freedom and external pressure. In the pit, Christoph Koncz celebrates Strauss’s thick orchestral textures, affinity for the human voice, brilliant orchestration, and the Mozartian quality of this opera. Opéra Studio alumna Eugénie Joneau will make her debut in the title role alongside an exceptional international cast.
In German
Subtitles in French and German.
