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
Direction musicale Christoph Koncz Mise en scène Myriam Marzouki Chorégraphie Jean-François Kessler Décors Alex Eales Costumes Laure Mahéo Lumières Fabrice Kebour Dramaturgie Sébastien Lepotvin Orchestre national de Mulhouse
Artists
La Primadonna, Ariane Eugénie Joneau Le Ténor, Bacchus AJ Glueckert Zerbinette Julie Roset Le Compositeur Dorottya Lang Le Maître de musique Jochen Kupfer Le Majordome Christian Heller Le Maître à danser Lucas Pauchet Le Perruquier Eduard Ferenczi Gurban Un Laquais Jiawen Li Arlequin James Newby Scaramouche Aleksandre Khukhushvili Truffaldino Antoine Foulon Brighella Arwen Tanguy Naïade Naïma Wanshe Dryade Lucy Evans Écho 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. The Prologue introduces two distinct troupes: a bawdy burlesque group and an opera company in the final throes of preparation for their opera seria, Ariadne auf Naxos, both eager to deliver an unforgettable evening of music. Naturally, in true operatic fashion, nothing goes to plan. A last-minute scheduling reshuffle forces the ensembles to merge their two performances into one. 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 an 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.
