Paradis and the Peri
Robert Schumann
New production.
Secular oratorio in three parts.
Libretto by Emil Flechsig and Robert Schumann,
based on Lalla Rookh by Thomas Moore.
Premiered on December 4, 1843 at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig.
Concert version.
A coproduction with Les Siècles and the Atelier lyrique de Tourcoing.
Infos
Strasbourg
Opéra
No intermission.
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 Antonello Manacorda Mise en espace, lumières Bertrand Couderc Dramaturgie Karin Serres Chœur de l’Opéra national du Rhin, Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg
Artists
La Péri Nikola Hillebrand Ténor solo, Quatuor vocal Mauro Peter Baryton solo, L’Homme Huw Montague Rendall L’Ange, Alto solo Anthea Barać Gazna, Quatuor vocal Frederic Jost La Jeune Femme, Quatuor vocal Alysia Hanshaw Mezzo-soprano solo, Quatuor vocal Inès Prevet Le Jeune Homme, Quatuor vocal Pierre Romainville
Presentation
Das Paradies und die Peri (Paradis and the Peri) is a masterpiece of German Romanticism and captures Europe’s nineteenth-century fascination with the East. Composer Robert Schumann found inspiration in his translation of a tale from Moore’s Romantic narrative poem, evoking the rich storytelling tradition of One Thousand and One Nights. The story follows the journey of a peri, an angel-like creature from Persian mythology, exiled from Paradise and yearning for everlasting forgiveness. To regain entry, the peri must present the most precious gift to the gates of heaven. Her quest takes her around the world in pursuit of love, innocence, and ultimate redemption.
The score, intended for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, has a luminous quality enriched with complex harmonies and sweeping orchestral themes. Schumann eschewed quaint charm in favor of wondrous fantasy, balancing soaring emotion with an aura of mysticism. In the role of the Peri, soprano Nikola Hillebrand brings to life the ethereal quality of this masterpiece—an enchanting blend of oratorio, opera, and lied—under the expert baton of Antonello Manacorda, a true maestro of Schumann’s repertoire. Bertrand Couderc’s lighting and staging beautifully capture the steady rise of this resolute spirit in her relentless pursuit of redemption.
In German
Subtitles in French.
