Guillaume Tell

Dec 23 11:00 am     TICKETS

Damiano Michieletto makes his Royal Opera House debut with a new production of Rossini’s final opera and greatest masterpiece William Tell, starring Gerald Finley conducted by Antonio Pappano.

The Swiss hero William Tell longs to liberate his people from the cruel Austrian occupation. When he helps a Swiss prisoner escape Austrian justice he comes to the attention of the governor Gesler – who sadistically forces Tell to shoot an apple off his son’s head.

Guillaume Tell had its premiere in 1829, when Gioachino Rossini was 37. He wouldn’t write another opera in the remaining 39 years of his life. Rossini’s letters suggest he knew Guillaume Tell would be his farewell to opera – an idea that seems to be confirmed by the magnificent music he was inspired to produce. The score – harmonically daring and fiercely difficult for the singers – has an opulent architectural grandeur, heightened with vivid evocations of the soaring Swiss landscape and an incisive dramatic interpretation of Schiller’s heroic play.  TICKETS

The performance will last for about 4 hours. Act One will last for about 1 hour 10 minutes, followed by a 15 minute interval. Act Two will last for about 55 minutes, followed by a 10 minute interval. Act Three will last for about 45 minutes, followed by a 5 minute pause. Act Four will last for about 35 minutes.

All tickets $18 

---

 

La Nozze di Figaro

Dec 28 11:30 am    TICKETS

Revolution is in the air in David McVicar’s production of Mozart’s brilliant comic opera, starring Erwin Schrott and Anita Hartig with conductor Ivor Bolton.

“It’s a fine revival, beautiful and touching in equal measure, as Figaro always should be.” The Guardian

Le nozze di Figaro was the first fruit of Mozart’s partnership with librettist Lorenzo da Ponte; they would go on to create Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. For Figaro, Da Ponte adapted (perhaps at Mozart’s suggestion) Pierre Beaumarchais’ controversial play Le Mariage de Figaro, which at the time was banned in Vienna due to its seditious content. The opera was well received in Vienna but had only nine performances; its revival soon after in Prague was a tremendous success, and led to the commission of Don Giovanni. Figaro quickly entered the international repertory and has rarely been out of it since, admired as one of Mozart’s finest works. TICKETS

Running time: about 3 hours 25 minutes, including one interval. Acts One and Two will last for about 1 hour 40 minutes, followed by a 15 minute interval. Acts Three and Four will last for about 1 hour 30 minutes.

All tickets $18

---