Musical farce in four acts by Nino Rota · Libretto by Ernesta Rinaldi and Nino Rota after the comedy Un Chapeau de paille d’Italie by Eugène Marin Labiche and Marc Antoine Amédée Michel · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

“Straw is beautiful. It takes a lot to find such a beautiful hat!”

A straw hat as the corpus delicti: while the married Anaide is engaged in an extramarital tête-à-tête, she hangs her straw hat on a tree—only for it to be eaten by Fadinard’s horse. But without the hat, Anaide cannot return home to her husband. It now falls to Fadinard to procure a replacement. This proves to be a difficult undertaking—especially since the whole drama unfolds on his wedding day, with the entire wedding party breathing down his neck. What follows is a wild and breathless chase.

Nino Rota is best known as a film composer, yet his operas are equally guaranteed to entertain. With a keen sense of (theatrical) rhythm and numerous quotations from musical classics—including Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini and Johann Strauss II—he created a lively opera that delivers great enjoyment right up to its nerve-racking finale.

Opera in two acts by Phyllis Tate · Libretto by David Franklin after the novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes · Sung in English with German and English surtitles

“I once thought the world was strong, but that I would be stronger.”

Emma Bunting, an impoverished landlady in Victorian London, takes in a refined lodger who provides financial support to her and her husband George. Gradually it becomes clear that the lodger is not what he seems, and his religious fanaticism points to psychological instability. As the situation grows increasingly tense, Emma is tormented by the question of whether she should report him to the authorities despite his illness—for her lodger is none other than Jack the Ripper.

Phyllis Tate is one of the most important British composers of the second half of the 20th century. With her music she sought to entertain and to bring joy; accordingly, The Lodger offers lighter moments despite its dark subject matter. She works with memorable themes, atmospheric orchestration, and compelling psychological insight.

Musical farce in four acts by Nino Rota · Libretto by Ernesta Rinaldi and Nino Rota after the comedy Un Chapeau de paille d’Italie by Eugène Marin Labiche and Marc Antoine Amédée Michel · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

“Straw is beautiful. It takes a lot to find such a beautiful hat!”

A straw hat as the corpus delicti: while the married Anaide is engaged in an extramarital tête-à-tête, she hangs her straw hat on a tree—only for it to be eaten by Fadinard’s horse. But without the hat, Anaide cannot return home to her husband. It now falls to Fadinard to procure a replacement. This proves to be a difficult undertaking—especially since the whole drama unfolds on his wedding day, with the entire wedding party breathing down his neck. What follows is a wild and breathless chase.

Nino Rota is best known as a film composer, yet his operas are equally guaranteed to entertain. With a keen sense of (theatrical) rhythm and numerous quotations from musical classics—including Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini and Johann Strauss II—he created a lively opera that delivers great enjoyment right up to its nerve-racking finale.

Opera in two acts by Phyllis Tate · Libretto by David Franklin after the novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes · Sung in English with German and English surtitles

“I once thought the world was strong, but that I would be stronger.”

Emma Bunting, an impoverished landlady in Victorian London, takes in a refined lodger who provides financial support to her and her husband George. Gradually it becomes clear that the lodger is not what he seems, and his religious fanaticism points to psychological instability. As the situation grows increasingly tense, Emma is tormented by the question of whether she should report him to the authorities despite his illness—for her lodger is none other than Jack the Ripper.

Phyllis Tate is one of the most important British composers of the second half of the 20th century. With her music she sought to entertain and to bring joy; accordingly, The Lodger offers lighter moments despite its dark subject matter. She works with memorable themes, atmospheric orchestration, and compelling psychological insight.

Musical farce in four acts by Nino Rota · Libretto by Ernesta Rinaldi and Nino Rota after the comedy Un Chapeau de paille d’Italie by Eugène Marin Labiche and Marc Antoine Amédée Michel · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

“Straw is beautiful. It takes a lot to find such a beautiful hat!”

A straw hat as the corpus delicti: while the married Anaide is engaged in an extramarital tête-à-tête, she hangs her straw hat on a tree—only for it to be eaten by Fadinard’s horse. But without the hat, Anaide cannot return home to her husband. It now falls to Fadinard to procure a replacement. This proves to be a difficult undertaking—especially since the whole drama unfolds on his wedding day, with the entire wedding party breathing down his neck. What follows is a wild and breathless chase.

Nino Rota is best known as a film composer, yet his operas are equally guaranteed to entertain. With a keen sense of (theatrical) rhythm and numerous quotations from musical classics—including Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini and Johann Strauss II—he created a lively opera that delivers great enjoyment right up to its nerve-racking finale.

Musical · Music & lyrics by Adam Guettel
Book by Craig Lucas · German version by Roman Hinze

“And the beautiful thing is realizing that someone might be searching for someone like you.”

Sometimes a single gust of wind is enough to turn an entire life upside down. During their summer holiday in Tuscany, Clara happens to meet the charming Florentine Fabrizio Naccarelli: it is love at first sight! Despite being 26, the young woman has a childlike nature, and her mother watches over her with hawk-like vigilance. She believes her daughter requires special care. Yet this new situation puts the family dynamic to a difficult test.

The musical — based on the novel of the same name by Elizabeth Spencer — premiered on Broadway in 2005, where it was performed more than 500 times. With sensitivity and without pretension, it tells the story of a young woman who confidently finds her own way despite her supposed limitations, and of a mother whose fears prove to be the true obstacle.

CAST

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Carsten Kirchmeier

STAGING | Julia Schnittger

COSTUMES | Hedi Mohr

DRAMATURGY | Katharina Rückl

Margaret Johnson | EDITH GROSSMAN

Clara Johnson | Harriet Jones

Fabrizio Naccarelli | MERLIN WAGNER

Giuseppe Naccarelli | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

Franca Naccarelli | N.N.

Signor Naccarelli | OLIVER WEIDIGNER

Signora Naccarelli | BANU SCHULT

Roy Johnson | N.N.

Musical · Music & lyrics by Adam Guettel
Book by Craig Lucas · German version by Roman Hinze

“And the beautiful thing is realizing that someone might be searching for someone like you.”

Sometimes a single gust of wind is enough to turn an entire life upside down. During their summer holiday in Tuscany, Clara happens to meet the charming Florentine Fabrizio Naccarelli: it is love at first sight! Despite being 26, the young woman has a childlike nature, and her mother watches over her with hawk-like vigilance. She believes her daughter requires special care. Yet this new situation puts the family dynamic to a difficult test.

The musical — based on the novel of the same name by Elizabeth Spencer — premiered on Broadway in 2005, where it was performed more than 500 times. With sensitivity and without pretension, it tells the story of a young woman who confidently finds her own way despite her supposed limitations, and of a mother whose fears prove to be the true obstacle.

CAST

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Carsten Kirchmeier

STAGING | Julia Schnittger

COSTUMES | Hedi Mohr

DRAMATURGY | Katharina Rückl

Margaret Johnson | EDITH GROSSMAN

Clara Johnson | Harriet Jones

Fabrizio Naccarelli | MERLIN WAGNER

Giuseppe Naccarelli | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

Franca Naccarelli | N.N.

Signor Naccarelli | OLIVER WEIDIGNER

Signora Naccarelli | BANU SCHULT

Roy Johnson | N.N.

Comic opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini · Libretto by Cesare Sterbini, after the play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"When the splendour of gold shines upon me, I feel as if I have been transformed!"

Rosina is young, beautiful—and destined to inherit a fortune. This makes her guardian, the aging bachelor Dr. Bartolo, eager to marry her himself as soon as she comes of age. But Rosina has other plans: her heart belongs to the dashing Count Almaviva. Determined to win her, the Count enlists the quick-witted barber Figaro, whose bold schemes and clever disguises set off a whirlwind of comic intrigue, outsmarting Bartolo at every turn.

Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia remains one of opera’s greatest box-office successes, a masterpiece of wit, charm, and musical brilliance. Its sparkling overture and effervescent arias have enchanted audiences for over two centuries, inspiring even Heinrich Heine, who called Rossini’s music his “sparkling butterfly dreams… sweetly beguiling and kissing my heart as if with the lips of the Graces.” This is opera at its most joyous—an experience you simply cannot miss!

CAST

Music DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGING | MARIE ROBERT

Stage DESIGN | Maira Bieler

Costumes | Petra Korink

Chorus Master | Ulrich Zippelius

Dramaturgy | Laura Knoll

COUNT ALMAVIVA | CHARLES SY, A. G.
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

GRAF ALMAVIVA | JONGYOUNG KIM
(27.02., 10.03.26)

BARTOLO | OLIVER WEIDINGER

ROSINA | EDITH GROSSMAN
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 27.02., 10.03., 15.03., 11.06.26)

ROSINA | ROSAMOND THOMAS*
(11.01., 08.05.26)

FIGARO | ZACHARY WILSON
(29.11.25, 27.02., 10.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

FIGARO | SONO YU*
(05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03.26)

BASILIO | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

BERTA | XÏA WANG, A. G.

FIORILLO | JAVIER HORACIO ZAPATA VERA
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

FIORILLO | DAVID JERUSALEM
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

AN OFFICER | DAVID JERUSALEM
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

AN OFFICER | HAK-YOUNG LEE
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

WITH THE MALE CHORUS OF WUPPERTALER THEATRE AND THE WUPPERTAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DATES

Premiere: 29 NOVEMBER, 19.30 CET

Opera in two acts by Phyllis Tate · Libretto by David Franklin after the novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes · Sung in English with German and English surtitles

“I once thought the world was strong, but that I would be stronger.”

Emma Bunting, an impoverished landlady in Victorian London, takes in a refined lodger who provides financial support to her and her husband George. Gradually it becomes clear that the lodger is not what he seems, and his religious fanaticism points to psychological instability. As the situation grows increasingly tense, Emma is tormented by the question of whether she should report him to the authorities despite his illness—for her lodger is none other than Jack the Ripper.

Phyllis Tate is one of the most important British composers of the second half of the 20th century. With her music she sought to entertain and to bring joy; accordingly, The Lodger offers lighter moments despite its dark subject matter. She works with memorable themes, atmospheric orchestration, and compelling psychological insight.

Sounds, crackles, hissing noises – the ÉRMA Ensemble takes us on a journey into the experimental laboratory.

Can a piano sound like lightning? Can sounds be painted? The ÉRMA Ensemble takes you on a musical adventure, and the well-known television presenter and actor Malte Arkona opens his experimental laboratory as Prof. Dr. Ohrenschmaus.

Hiss. Rumble. Squeak. Crack. Imagine you are walking through a hot, dangerous volcanic area with a large, heavy rucksack. What sounds will you encounter? Listen carefully! The young musicians of the ÉRMA Ensemble from Cologne are your faithful companions, and Prof. Dr. Ohrenschmaus, alias Malte Arkona, finds new answers to your questions. You will hear unheard-of sounds, and there will even be a world premiere: a piece of music that will be performed for the very first time – and you will be there live!

A production by KölnMusik and the ÉRMA Ensemble

programme

Mit Werken von Salvatore Sciarrino, Gérard Grisey, Chaya Czernowin u.a. sowie einer Uraufführung von Eloain Lovis Hübner

• Unerhört! Neue Abenteuer für offene Ohren

• Eloain Lovis Hübner

  Neues Werk

  UraufführungKompositionsauftrag der Kölner Philharmonie (KölnMusik)

ARTISTS

Malte Arkona | actor, concept

ÉRMA Ensemble

Jennifer Seubel | flute

Jan Wilhelm Bennefeld | clarinet

Veronique De Raedemaeker | violin

Amaryllis Bartholomeus | viola

Elio Herrera | cello

Anton Gerzenberg | piano

Yukari Yagi | percussion

Yorgos Ziavras | conductor

Opera in two acts by Phyllis Tate · Libretto by David Franklin after the novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes · Sung in English with German and English surtitles

“I once thought the world was strong, but that I would be stronger.”

Emma Bunting, an impoverished landlady in Victorian London, takes in a refined lodger who provides financial support to her and her husband George. Gradually it becomes clear that the lodger is not what he seems, and his religious fanaticism points to psychological instability. As the situation grows increasingly tense, Emma is tormented by the question of whether she should report him to the authorities despite his illness—for her lodger is none other than Jack the Ripper.

Phyllis Tate is one of the most important British composers of the second half of the 20th century. With her music she sought to entertain and to bring joy; accordingly, The Lodger offers lighter moments despite its dark subject matter. She works with memorable themes, atmospheric orchestration, and compelling psychological insight.

Opera in two acts by Phyllis Tate · Libretto by David Franklin after the novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes · Sung in English with German and English surtitles

“I once thought the world was strong, but that I would be stronger.”

Emma Bunting, an impoverished landlady in Victorian London, takes in a refined lodger who provides financial support to her and her husband George. Gradually it becomes clear that the lodger is not what he seems, and his religious fanaticism points to psychological instability. As the situation grows increasingly tense, Emma is tormented by the question of whether she should report him to the authorities despite his illness—for her lodger is none other than Jack the Ripper.

Phyllis Tate is one of the most important British composers of the second half of the 20th century. With her music she sought to entertain and to bring joy; accordingly, The Lodger offers lighter moments despite its dark subject matter. She works with memorable themes, atmospheric orchestration, and compelling psychological insight.

Opera in two acts by Phyllis Tate · Libretto by David Franklin after the novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes · Sung in English with German and English surtitles

“I once thought the world was strong, but that I would be stronger.”

Emma Bunting, an impoverished landlady in Victorian London, takes in a refined lodger who provides financial support to her and her husband George. Gradually it becomes clear that the lodger is not what he seems, and his religious fanaticism points to psychological instability. As the situation grows increasingly tense, Emma is tormented by the question of whether she should report him to the authorities despite his illness—for her lodger is none other than Jack the Ripper.

Phyllis Tate is one of the most important British composers of the second half of the 20th century. With her music she sought to entertain and to bring joy; accordingly, The Lodger offers lighter moments despite its dark subject matter. She works with memorable themes, atmospheric orchestration, and compelling psychological insight.

Musical · Music & lyrics by Adam Guettel
Book by Craig Lucas · German version by Roman Hinze

“And the beautiful thing is realizing that someone might be searching for someone like you.”

Sometimes a single gust of wind is enough to turn an entire life upside down. During their summer holiday in Tuscany, Clara happens to meet the charming Florentine Fabrizio Naccarelli: it is love at first sight! Despite being 26, the young woman has a childlike nature, and her mother watches over her with hawk-like vigilance. She believes her daughter requires special care. Yet this new situation puts the family dynamic to a difficult test.

The musical — based on the novel of the same name by Elizabeth Spencer — premiered on Broadway in 2005, where it was performed more than 500 times. With sensitivity and without pretension, it tells the story of a young woman who confidently finds her own way despite her supposed limitations, and of a mother whose fears prove to be the true obstacle.

CAST

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Carsten Kirchmeier

STAGING | Julia Schnittger

COSTUMES | Hedi Mohr

DRAMATURGY | Katharina Rückl

Margaret Johnson | EDITH GROSSMAN

Clara Johnson | Harriet Jones

Fabrizio Naccarelli | MERLIN WAGNER

Giuseppe Naccarelli | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

Franca Naccarelli | N.N.

Signor Naccarelli | OLIVER WEIDIGNER

Signora Naccarelli | BANU SCHULT

Roy Johnson | N.N.

Kabinett der Sinne is not a conventional concert. It is closer to visiting an art exhibition, with the works presented as installations distributed throughout the space. The audience prepares for the evening with blood-red drinks, moves freely around the room, and sits on velvet cushions as they wish — an experience that engages all the senses and that listeners actively shape for themselves, while music remains firmly at its core.

Under the direction of Yorgos Ziavras, the ÉRMA Ensemble presents a diverse programme of contemporary music. In Cologne, the focus is on Unsuk Chin’s early, fairytale-like masterpiece Acrostic Wordplay, featuring Penny Sofroniadou in the virtuosic soprano role. In addition, the ensemble members perform in various formations and appear as soloists in several works.

Kabinett der Sinne is not a conventional concert. It is closer to visiting an art exhibition, with the works presented as installations distributed throughout the space. The audience prepares for the evening with blood-red drinks, moves freely around the room, and sits on velvet cushions as they wish — an experience that engages all the senses and that listeners actively shape for themselves, while music remains firmly at its core.

Under the direction of Yorgos Ziavras, the ÉRMA Ensemble presents a diverse programme of contemporary music. In Cologne, the focus is on Unsuk Chin’s early, fairytale-like masterpiece Acrostic Wordplay, featuring Penny Sofroniadou in the virtuosic soprano role. In addition, the ensemble members perform in various formations and appear as soloists in several works.

Comic opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini · Libretto by Cesare Sterbini, after the play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"When the splendour of gold shines upon me, I feel as if I have been transformed!"

Rosina is young, beautiful—and destined to inherit a fortune. This makes her guardian, the aging bachelor Dr. Bartolo, eager to marry her himself as soon as she comes of age. But Rosina has other plans: her heart belongs to the dashing Count Almaviva. Determined to win her, the Count enlists the quick-witted barber Figaro, whose bold schemes and clever disguises set off a whirlwind of comic intrigue, outsmarting Bartolo at every turn.

Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia remains one of opera’s greatest box-office successes, a masterpiece of wit, charm, and musical brilliance. Its sparkling overture and effervescent arias have enchanted audiences for over two centuries, inspiring even Heinrich Heine, who called Rossini’s music his “sparkling butterfly dreams… sweetly beguiling and kissing my heart as if with the lips of the Graces.” This is opera at its most joyous—an experience you simply cannot miss!

CAST

Music DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGING | MARIE ROBERT

Stage DESIGN | Maira Bieler

Costumes | Petra Korink

Chorus Master | Ulrich Zippelius

Dramaturgy | Laura Knoll

COUNT ALMAVIVA | CHARLES SY, A. G.
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

GRAF ALMAVIVA | JONGYOUNG KIM
(27.02., 10.03.26)

BARTOLO | OLIVER WEIDINGER

ROSINA | EDITH GROSSMAN
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 27.02., 10.03., 15.03., 11.06.26)

ROSINA | ROSAMOND THOMAS*
(11.01., 08.05.26)

FIGARO | ZACHARY WILSON
(29.11.25, 27.02., 10.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

FIGARO | SONO YU*
(05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03.26)

BASILIO | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

BERTA | XÏA WANG, A. G.

FIORILLO | JAVIER HORACIO ZAPATA VERA
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

FIORILLO | DAVID JERUSALEM
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

AN OFFICER | DAVID JERUSALEM
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

AN OFFICER | HAK-YOUNG LEE
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

WITH THE MALE CHORUS OF WUPPERTALER THEATRE AND THE WUPPERTAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DATES

Premiere: 29 NOVEMBER, 19.30 CET

OTHER DATES: 8 MAY | 11 JUNE

Musical · Music & lyrics by Adam Guettel
Book by Craig Lucas · German version by Roman Hinze

“And the beautiful thing is realizing that someone might be searching for someone like you.”

Sometimes a single gust of wind is enough to turn an entire life upside down. During their summer holiday in Tuscany, Clara happens to meet the charming Florentine Fabrizio Naccarelli: it is love at first sight! Despite being 26, the young woman has a childlike nature, and her mother watches over her with hawk-like vigilance. She believes her daughter requires special care. Yet this new situation puts the family dynamic to a difficult test.

The musical — based on the novel of the same name by Elizabeth Spencer — premiered on Broadway in 2005, where it was performed more than 500 times. With sensitivity and without pretension, it tells the story of a young woman who confidently finds her own way despite her supposed limitations, and of a mother whose fears prove to be the true obstacle.

CAST

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Carsten Kirchmeier

STAGING | Julia Schnittger

COSTUMES | Hedi Mohr

DRAMATURGY | Katharina Rückl

Margaret Johnson | EDITH GROSSMAN

Clara Johnson | Harriet Jones

Fabrizio Naccarelli | MERLIN WAGNER

Giuseppe Naccarelli | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

Franca Naccarelli | N.N.

Signor Naccarelli | OLIVER WEIDIGNER

Signora Naccarelli | BANU SCHULT

Roy Johnson | N.N.

Comic opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini · Libretto by Cesare Sterbini, after the play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"When the splendour of gold shines upon me, I feel as if I have been transformed!"

Rosina is young, beautiful—and destined to inherit a fortune. This makes her guardian, the aging bachelor Dr. Bartolo, eager to marry her himself as soon as she comes of age. But Rosina has other plans: her heart belongs to the dashing Count Almaviva. Determined to win her, the Count enlists the quick-witted barber Figaro, whose bold schemes and clever disguises set off a whirlwind of comic intrigue, outsmarting Bartolo at every turn.

Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia remains one of opera’s greatest box-office successes, a masterpiece of wit, charm, and musical brilliance. Its sparkling overture and effervescent arias have enchanted audiences for over two centuries, inspiring even Heinrich Heine, who called Rossini’s music his “sparkling butterfly dreams… sweetly beguiling and kissing my heart as if with the lips of the Graces.” This is opera at its most joyous—an experience you simply cannot miss!

CAST

Music DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGING | MARIE ROBERT

Stage DESIGN | Maira Bieler

Costumes | Petra Korink

Chorus Master | Ulrich Zippelius

Dramaturgy | Laura Knoll

COUNT ALMAVIVA | CHARLES SY, A. G.
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

GRAF ALMAVIVA | JONGYOUNG KIM
(27.02., 10.03.26)

BARTOLO | OLIVER WEIDINGER

ROSINA | EDITH GROSSMAN
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 27.02., 10.03., 15.03., 11.06.26)

ROSINA | ROSAMOND THOMAS*
(11.01., 08.05.26)

FIGARO | ZACHARY WILSON
(29.11.25, 27.02., 10.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

FIGARO | SONO YU*
(05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03.26)

BASILIO | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

BERTA | XÏA WANG, A. G.

FIORILLO | JAVIER HORACIO ZAPATA VERA
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

FIORILLO | DAVID JERUSALEM
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

AN OFFICER | DAVID JERUSALEM
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

AN OFFICER | HAK-YOUNG LEE
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

WITH THE MALE CHORUS OF WUPPERTALER THEATRE AND THE WUPPERTAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DATES

Premiere: 29 NOVEMBER, 19.30 CET

OTHER DATES: 15 MARCH | 8 MAY | 11 JUNE

Dramma per musica in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi · Libretto by Carlo Goldoni, after Apostolo Zeno · Inspired by an episode from Il Decamerone by Giovanni Boccaccio · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"Live in the certainty that the one who wrongs you will one day face just punishment."

The people rise against Queen Griselda, scandalized by her humble origins as a shepherdess. Her husband, King Gualtiero, determined to prove her virtue and pacify his subjects, devises a peculiar scheme: he renounces her and feigns marriage to a noblewoman of royal blood. Yet this bride, Costanza, is revealed to be their own daughter, given away at birth because she was a female firstborn. As expected, chaos and intrigue ensue before the truth is unveiled and order restored.

Rarely performed today, Vivaldi’s Griselda offers a unique musical experience. Its score brims with dazzling melodies and dramatic flair, each aria intricately tied to the psychological depth of its characters. This is opera at its most gripping—an evening of passion, virtuosity, and dramatic tension not to be missed.

CAST

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Mathilda du Tillieul McNicol

STAGING & COSTUMES | Noemi Daboczi

CHORUS MASTER | Ulrich Zippelius

DRAMATURGY | LAURA KNOLL

Michael Gibson, a. G. | Gualtiero

Sonja Runje, a. G. | Griselda

Rinnat Moriah, a. G. | Costanza

Gerben van der Werf, a. G. | Roberto

N. N.
Ottone

Marianna Ortugno* | Corrado

N. N.
Everardo

WITH THE OPERA CHOIR OF WuPPeRTAL THEATRE AND THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF WUPPERTAL

Musical · Music & lyrics by Adam Guettel
Book by Craig Lucas · German version by Roman Hinze

“And the beautiful thing is realizing that someone might be searching for someone like you.”

Sometimes a single gust of wind is enough to turn an entire life upside down. During their summer holiday in Tuscany, Clara happens to meet the charming Florentine Fabrizio Naccarelli: it is love at first sight! Despite being 26, the young woman has a childlike nature, and her mother watches over her with hawk-like vigilance. She believes her daughter requires special care. Yet this new situation puts the family dynamic to a difficult test.

The musical — based on the novel of the same name by Elizabeth Spencer — premiered on Broadway in 2005, where it was performed more than 500 times. With sensitivity and without pretension, it tells the story of a young woman who confidently finds her own way despite her supposed limitations, and of a mother whose fears prove to be the true obstacle.

CAST

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Carsten Kirchmeier

STAGING | Julia Schnittger

COSTUMES | Hedi Mohr

DRAMATURGY | Katharina Rückl

Margaret Johnson | EDITH GROSSMAN

Clara Johnson | Harriet Jones

Fabrizio Naccarelli | MERLIN WAGNER

Giuseppe Naccarelli | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

Franca Naccarelli | N.N.

Signor Naccarelli | OLIVER WEIDIGNER

Signora Naccarelli | BANU SCHULT

Roy Johnson | N.N.

Music drama with prologue and epilogue in one act by Ethel Smyth. Libretto by the composer.
In German with German surtitles.

“Fleeting is the pleasure of mortals.”
In ERWARTUNG, we follow a woman on her desperate search for her beloved through the nocturnal forest — an emotional rollercoaster.
DER WALD tells the story of Röschen and the woodcutter Heinrich, whose fate takes an unexpected turn on the eve of their wedding: the demonic Iolanthe desires Heinrich and seeks to force his love…

The mysterious forest served as a projection surface for both composers: Smyth uses it to reveal the constancy of nature as well as the transience of life. For Schönberg, the depth of the forest becomes a mirror of the dark abysses of the soul.

cast

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Manuel Schmitt

STAGING & COSTUMES | Julia Katharina Berndt

CHORUS MASTER | Ulrich Zippelius

DRAMATURGIE | LAURA KNOLL

Eine Frau | Hanna Larissa Naujoks, A. G.
Landgraf Rudolf | David Roy, a. G.

Jolanthe | Edith Grossman

Heinrich | Sangmin Jeon, a. G.

Peter | Agostino Subacchi

Röschen | Mariya Taniguchi, a. G.

Ein Hausierer | Zachary Wilson

Ein Bursche | Nika Dönges, Mira Ilina

Ein Jäger | Hak-Young Lee

WITH THE Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra, THE Opera Chorus of the Wuppertaler Bühnen AND THE Extra Choir of the Wuppertaler Bühnen

Comic opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini · Libretto by Cesare Sterbini, after the play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"When the splendour of gold shines upon me, I feel as if I have been transformed!"

Rosina is young, beautiful—and destined to inherit a fortune. This makes her guardian, the aging bachelor Dr. Bartolo, eager to marry her himself as soon as she comes of age. But Rosina has other plans: her heart belongs to the dashing Count Almaviva. Determined to win her, the Count enlists the quick-witted barber Figaro, whose bold schemes and clever disguises set off a whirlwind of comic intrigue, outsmarting Bartolo at every turn.

Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia remains one of opera’s greatest box-office successes, a masterpiece of wit, charm, and musical brilliance. Its sparkling overture and effervescent arias have enchanted audiences for over two centuries, inspiring even Heinrich Heine, who called Rossini’s music his “sparkling butterfly dreams… sweetly beguiling and kissing my heart as if with the lips of the Graces.” This is opera at its most joyous—an experience you simply cannot miss!

CAST

Music DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGING | MARIE ROBERT

Stage DESIGN | Maira Bieler

Costumes | Petra Korink

Chorus Master | Ulrich Zippelius

Dramaturgy | Laura Knoll

COUNT ALMAVIVA | CHARLES SY, A. G.
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

GRAF ALMAVIVA | JONGYOUNG KIM
(27.02., 10.03.26)

BARTOLO | OLIVER WEIDINGER

ROSINA | EDITH GROSSMAN
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 27.02., 10.03., 15.03., 11.06.26)

ROSINA | ROSAMOND THOMAS*
(11.01., 08.05.26)

FIGARO | ZACHARY WILSON
(29.11.25, 27.02., 10.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

FIGARO | SONO YU*
(05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03.26)

BASILIO | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

BERTA | XÏA WANG, A. G.

FIORILLO | JAVIER HORACIO ZAPATA VERA
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

FIORILLO | DAVID JERUSALEM
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

AN OFFICER | DAVID JERUSALEM
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

AN OFFICER | HAK-YOUNG LEE
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

WITH THE MALE CHORUS OF WUPPERTALER THEATRE AND THE WUPPERTAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DATES

Premiere: 29 NOVEMBER, 19.30 CET

OTHER DATES: 10, 15 MARCH | 8 MAY | 11 JUNE

Music drama with prologue and epilogue in one act by Ethel Smyth. Libretto by the composer.
In German with German surtitles.

“Fleeting is the pleasure of mortals.”
In ERWARTUNG, we follow a woman on her desperate search for her beloved through the nocturnal forest — an emotional rollercoaster.
DER WALD tells the story of Röschen and the woodcutter Heinrich, whose fate takes an unexpected turn on the eve of their wedding: the demonic Iolanthe desires Heinrich and seeks to force his love…

The mysterious forest served as a projection surface for both composers: Smyth uses it to reveal the constancy of nature as well as the transience of life. For Schönberg, the depth of the forest becomes a mirror of the dark abysses of the soul.

cast

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Manuel Schmitt

STAGING & COSTUMES | Julia Katharina Berndt

CHORUS MASTER | Ulrich Zippelius

DRAMATURGIE | LAURA KNOLL

Eine Frau | Hanna Larissa Naujoks, A. G.
Landgraf Rudolf | David Roy, a. G.

Jolanthe | Edith Grossman

Heinrich | Sangmin Jeon, a. G.

Peter | Agostino Subacchi

Röschen | Mariya Taniguchi, a. G.

Ein Hausierer | Zachary Wilson

Ein Bursche | Nika Dönges, Mira Ilina

Ein Jäger | Hak-Young Lee

WITH THE Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra, THE Opera Chorus of the Wuppertaler Bühnen AND THE Extra Choir of the Wuppertaler Bühnen

Music drama with prologue and epilogue in one act by Ethel Smyth. Libretto by the composer.
In German with German surtitles.

“Fleeting is the pleasure of mortals.”
In ERWARTUNG, we follow a woman on her desperate search for her beloved through the nocturnal forest — an emotional rollercoaster.
DER WALD tells the story of Röschen and the woodcutter Heinrich, whose fate takes an unexpected turn on the eve of their wedding: the demonic Iolanthe desires Heinrich and seeks to force his love…

The mysterious forest served as a projection surface for both composers: Smyth uses it to reveal the constancy of nature as well as the transience of life. For Schönberg, the depth of the forest becomes a mirror of the dark abysses of the soul.

cast

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Manuel Schmitt

STAGING & COSTUMES | Julia Katharina Berndt

CHORUS MASTER | Ulrich Zippelius

DRAMATURGIE | LAURA KNOLL

Eine Frau | Hanna Larissa Naujoks, A. G.
Landgraf Rudolf | David Roy, a. G.

Jolanthe | Edith Grossman

Heinrich | Sangmin Jeon, a. G.

Peter | Agostino Subacchi

Röschen | Mariya Taniguchi, a. G.

Ein Hausierer | Zachary Wilson

Ein Bursche | Nika Dönges, Mira Ilina

Ein Jäger | Hak-Young Lee

WITH THE Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra, THE Opera Chorus of the Wuppertaler Bühnen AND THE Extra Choir of the Wuppertaler Bühnen

Dramma per musica in three acts by Antonio Vivaldi · Libretto by Carlo Goldoni, after Apostolo Zeno · Inspired by an episode from Il Decamerone by Giovanni Boccaccio · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"Live in the certainty that the one who wrongs you will one day face just punishment."

The people rise against Queen Griselda, scandalized by her humble origins as a shepherdess. Her husband, King Gualtiero, determined to prove her virtue and pacify his subjects, devises a peculiar scheme: he renounces her and feigns marriage to a noblewoman of royal blood. Yet this bride, Costanza, is revealed to be their own daughter, given away at birth because she was a female firstborn. As expected, chaos and intrigue ensue before the truth is unveiled and order restored.

Rarely performed today, Vivaldi’s Griselda offers a unique musical experience. Its score brims with dazzling melodies and dramatic flair, each aria intricately tied to the psychological depth of its characters. This is opera at its most gripping—an evening of passion, virtuosity, and dramatic tension not to be missed.

CAST

MUSIC DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGE DIRECTOR | Mathilda du Tillieul McNicol

STAGING & COSTUMES | Noemi Daboczi

CHORUS MASTER | Ulrich Zippelius

DRAMATURGY | LAURA KNOLL

Michael Gibson, a. G. | Gualtiero

Sonja Runje, a. G. | Griselda

Rinnat Moriah, a. G. | Costanza

Gerben van der Werf, a. G. | Roberto

N. N.
Ottone

Marianna Ortugno* | Corrado

N. N.
Everardo

WITH THE OPERA CHOIR OF WuPPeRTAL THEATRE AND THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF WUPPERTAL

Comic opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini · Libretto by Cesare Sterbini, after the play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"When the splendour of gold shines upon me, I feel as if I have been transformed!"

Rosina is young, beautiful—and destined to inherit a fortune. This makes her guardian, the aging bachelor Dr. Bartolo, eager to marry her himself as soon as she comes of age. But Rosina has other plans: her heart belongs to the dashing Count Almaviva. Determined to win her, the Count enlists the quick-witted barber Figaro, whose bold schemes and clever disguises set off a whirlwind of comic intrigue, outsmarting Bartolo at every turn.

Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia remains one of opera’s greatest box-office successes, a masterpiece of wit, charm, and musical brilliance. Its sparkling overture and effervescent arias have enchanted audiences for over two centuries, inspiring even Heinrich Heine, who called Rossini’s music his “sparkling butterfly dreams… sweetly beguiling and kissing my heart as if with the lips of the Graces.” This is opera at its most joyous—an experience you simply cannot miss!

CAST

Music DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGING | MARIE ROBERT

Stage DESIGN | Maira Bieler

Costumes | Petra Korink

Chorus Master | Ulrich Zippelius

Dramaturgy | Laura Knoll

COUNT ALMAVIVA | CHARLES SY, A. G.
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

GRAF ALMAVIVA | JONGYOUNG KIM
(27.02., 10.03.26)

BARTOLO | OLIVER WEIDINGER

ROSINA | EDITH GROSSMAN
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 27.02., 10.03., 15.03., 11.06.26)

ROSINA | ROSAMOND THOMAS*
(11.01., 08.05.26)

FIGARO | ZACHARY WILSON
(29.11.25, 27.02., 10.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

FIGARO | SONO YU*
(05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03.26)

BASILIO | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

BERTA | XÏA WANG, A. G.

FIORILLO | JAVIER HORACIO ZAPATA VERA
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

FIORILLO | DAVID JERUSALEM
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

AN OFFICER | DAVID JERUSALEM
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

AN OFFICER | HAK-YOUNG LEE
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

WITH THE MALE CHORUS OF WUPPERTALER THEATRE AND THE WUPPERTAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DATES

Premiere: 29 NOVEMBER, 19.30 CET

OTHER DATES: 27 FEBRUARY

Comic opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini · Libretto by Cesare Sterbini, after the play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais · Sung in Italian with German and English surtitles

"When the splendour of gold shines upon me, I feel as if I have been transformed!"

Rosina is young, beautiful—and destined to inherit a fortune. This makes her guardian, the aging bachelor Dr. Bartolo, eager to marry her himself as soon as she comes of age. But Rosina has other plans: her heart belongs to the dashing Count Almaviva. Determined to win her, the Count enlists the quick-witted barber Figaro, whose bold schemes and clever disguises set off a whirlwind of comic intrigue, outsmarting Bartolo at every turn.

Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia remains one of opera’s greatest box-office successes, a masterpiece of wit, charm, and musical brilliance. Its sparkling overture and effervescent arias have enchanted audiences for over two centuries, inspiring even Heinrich Heine, who called Rossini’s music his “sparkling butterfly dreams… sweetly beguiling and kissing my heart as if with the lips of the Graces.” This is opera at its most joyous—an experience you simply cannot miss!

CAST

Music DIRECTOR | YORGOS ZIAVRAS

STAGING | MARIE ROBERT

Stage DESIGN | Maira Bieler

Costumes | Petra Korink

Chorus Master | Ulrich Zippelius

Dramaturgy | Laura Knoll

COUNT ALMAVIVA | CHARLES SY, A. G.
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

GRAF ALMAVIVA | JONGYOUNG KIM
(27.02., 10.03.26)

BARTOLO | OLIVER WEIDINGER

ROSINA | EDITH GROSSMAN
(29.11., 05.12., 13.12.25, 27.02., 10.03., 15.03., 11.06.26)

ROSINA | ROSAMOND THOMAS*
(11.01., 08.05.26)

FIGARO | ZACHARY WILSON
(29.11.25, 27.02., 10.03., 08.05., 11.06.26)

FIGARO | SONO YU*
(05.12., 13.12.25, 11.01., 15.03.26)

BASILIO | AGOSTINO SUBACCHI

BERTA | XÏA WANG, A. G.

FIORILLO | JAVIER HORACIO ZAPATA VERA
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

FIORILLO | DAVID JERUSALEM
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

AN OFFICER | DAVID JERUSALEM
(29.11., 13.12.25, 27.02., 15.03., 11.06.26)

AN OFFICER | HAK-YOUNG LEE
(05.12.25, 11.01., 10.03., 08.05.26)

WITH THE MALE CHORUS OF WUPPERTALER THEATRE AND THE WUPPERTAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

DATES

Premiere: 29 NOVEMBER, 19.30 CET

OTHER DATES: 11 JANUARY | 27 FEBRUARY