Zimmermann: Die Soldaten
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln / François-Xavier Roth / Calixto Bieito
Orchestral machine
Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s opera »Die Soldaten« was long regarded as unplayable because, in addition to the orchestra and singers, it requires a jazz combo, dancers and tape playback. But on 15 February 1965, »Die Soldaten« was finally premiered by Cologne’s Gürzenich-Orchester – with tremendous success! Cologne’s General Music Director François-Xavier Roth and the Spanish director Calixto Bieito now present Zimmermann’s work of total theatre as a stunning concert-hall installation!
In »Die Soldaten«, Zimmermann explores his personal experiences in the Second World War and the atomic threat the world was facing. In a scintillating tonal language that is also clearly influenced by the Impressionist play of colours, he develops a dystopia that has lost none of its power over the years since it was composed. According to director Calixto Bieito, the orchestra becomes »one big, murderous machine that can eat people up and spit them out again transformed.« And, as in 1965, the orchestra performing this momentous work is the Gürzenich-Orchester.
Performers
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
Herrenchor und Extrachor der Oper Köln
Tómas Tómasson Wesener, a fancy goods dealer in Lille
Emily Hindrichs Marie, his daughter
Judith Thielsen Charlotte, his daughter
Kismara Pezzati Wesener's old mother
Nikolay Borchev Stolzius, draper in Armentières
Alexandra Ionis Stolzius’ mother
Lucas Singer Obrist, Count of Spannheim
Martin Koch Desportes, a nobleman from French Hennegau in the French army
John Heuzenroeder Pirzel, a captain
Oliver Zwarg Eisenhardt, an army chaplain
Miljenko Turk Haudy, captain
Wolfgang Stefan Schwaiger Mary, captain
Yongseung Song Three young officers
Artjom Korotkov Three young officers
Young Woo Kim Three young officers
Laura Aikin Countess de la Roche
Alexander Kaimbacher The young count, her son
Denise Meisner Madame Roux, proprietress of the coffee house
Alexander Fedin Countess de la Roche's footman
Ján Rusko Young cadet
Frederik Schauhoff Drunken officer
Anthony Sandle Three captains
Heiko Köpke Three captains
Carsten Mainz Three captains
conductor François-Xavier Roth
Calixto Bieito staging
Programme
Bernd Alois Zimmermann
Die Soldaten / opera in four acts based on the play of the same name by Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz
Staged concert
mit Pause
Subscription
Elbphilharmonie for Connoisseurs
Series
Opera in Concert
Spotlight
François-Xavier Roth
Live Broadcast
The concert will be available as a stream in the Elbphilharmonie Mediatheque from 25 January.