The Tyrolean Festival in Erl has gained an international reputation and since its new Festspielhaus is finaly built, it offers a venue in winter too. This year is presented a new interpretation of Fidelio under the direction of the German sculptor Aleaxander Polzin. It is his first appearance as opera director. One can feel his artistic background : once a big white linen cloth covering all the stage and its decoration has been emoved, a big sculpted skull in soft brown is dominating ,...

In only 24 days, Maestro Gioachino Rossino created his masterpiece La Cenerentola. The date of the world premiere was fixed even before the title, the libretto or the plot of the opera was known. So once the old fairytale was decided to be the story, Rossini recycled out of former composition and created this opera buffo, including semiseria parts. The first performance was rejected by the audience but soon the work started its triumphal success worldwide, being even the first opera to be...

This rarely performed ballet of Richard Strauss is full of lovely late romantic music, enriched by expressionist and Vienese waltz contrasts. Schlagobers is the Austrian word for whipped cream and that brings you to the story. A little boy is invited by his aunt to the famous Vienese pastry shop Dehmel, on an all you can eat basis. This ends up with a visit at the hospital and traumatic encounters with all his sweet favorites. Based on the successful appearence of his first ballett...

After his successful operettes Fledermaus and Zigeunerbaron, old aged Johann Strauss was asked to compose one more "hit" to rescue a financially stressed impresario and theatre manager in Vienna. In order to complete the task Johann Strauss created a pasticcio of some of his beloved melodies. The well reputated librettist Leo Stein and Victor Leon delivered the amusing textbook full of irritations around a Vienese aristrocatic playboy serving several intriguing lovestories....

Simone Boccanegra accompagnied his creator Giuseppe Verdi for a lifespan. First presented in Venice in 1842 it was a failure. After mayor recompositions it became a success at its second premiere in 1880 which did not last long. Only in the seventies of the last century this masterpiece of Giuseppe Verdi found its way back to the stages of the opera houses. It is the exciting story of the Genoves Dogue Simon Boccanegra, his forbidden love affair with Maria, daughter of the mighty noble men...

Leos Janacek was fascinated by the play of Karel Capek in 1922 and immediately started to compose his before last opera. It is the story of never ending life, eternal youth and beauty, the search of the recipie to overcome death and the question about the sense of death. Hungarian Arpad Schilling is the director of this new production at the Bavarian State Opera. His interpretation lacks an intelligent concept or clear conclusion. He portrays Emilia Marty or ever young Elina...