Operas and Vocal Works

Whether sacred or secular, written for the concert hall or the opera house, large-scale works with choir and vocal soloists have a permanent place at the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle

Description

No, the Elbphilharmonie is no more an opera house than the Laeiszhalle is. But great opera can and indeed should be performed here as well – usually in a purely concert version, which allows more concentration on the music, or sometimes with the skilful use of reduced props. This season, the spectrum ranges from Henry Prucell’s »The Fairy Queen« and Shakespeare’s »A Midsummer Night’s Dream« to »Falstaff« by Mozart’s contemporary Antonio Salieri and Mieczysław Weinberg’s »The Passenger«. Luigi Nono’s »Prometeo« forms the operatic contribution to the season’s Prometheus theme, joined by two further musical adventures: Béla Bartók’s psychological thriller »Duke Bluebeard’s Castle« and Igor Stravinsky’s »Oedipus Rex«.

Large-scale oratorios, masses and cantatas also hold a firm place in Hamburg’s concert halls. This season once again brings together Europe’s finest choirs and leading vocal soloists such as Magdalena Kožená and Julian Prégardien to explore some of the most significant vocal works in music history, alongside rare repertoire. Highlights range from Sofia Gubaidulina’s monumental oratorio »Über Liebe und Hass«, opening the 2027 Hamburg International Music Festival, to two full-length Faust settings by Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann, as well as the great Passions and Masses by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Events of the series

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