Semperoper Dresden releases new season 2020/2021. Highlight: Wagner's "Ring"

Semperoper Dresden is one of the most prestigious theatres in Germany. As all German theatres (and in difference to most of the others in the world) the repertory system allows visitors to enjoy different productions in consecutive days which makes a cultural stay in Dresden even more attractive.

The high class performances, companied by the Staatskapelle Dresden, founded in 1548 and thus one of the oldest and best orchestras in the world are set in the magnificent Opera House, built by Gottfried Semper in 1878.

In the 2020/21 season, the Semperoper looks forward to a total of 281 performances and eleven premieres (five opera premieres in the Semperoper, two ballets and four in the secondary stage) and 32 repertoire works in all genres. The eleven premieres scheduled for the upcoming seasons, which include two German and three Dresden premieres, in opera, ballet and the Junge Szene programme are dedicated in different ways to how we can find orientation in a world undergoing radical upheaval, in which seemingly fixed norms and ideals are subject to reinterpretation.

OPERA

The new productions of Puccini’s »Turandot«, Monteverdi’s »L’Orfeo«, Mozart’s »The Magic Flute«, Zimmermann’s »Weiße Rose« and the new ballet production after Grieg’s »Peer Gynt« choreographed by Johan Inger are great examples of this theme of finding’s one position in the transition from passive endurance to active action. The series of opera premieres for 2020/21 is launched by Gioachino Rossini’s politically timeless and highly topical »Guillaume Tell/William Tell« , conducted by the Italian Giampaolo Bisanti. The Semperoper’s Principal Guest Conductor, Omer Meir Wellber will conduct a peerless cast for the premiere of a new Dresden »Magic Flute«. The new Dresden production of the original version of Claudio Monteverdi’s »L’Orfeo« gives audiences the chance to discover the very first opera in music history and become reacquainted with Rolando Villazón, who sings the role. Richard Strauss’s musical conversation piece »Capriccio« explores the fundamental question of which takes primacy: music or words? Krassimira Stoyanova returns to the Semperoper as the Countess for the premiere of this work in May 2021, for which Christian Thielemann, the Staatskapelle’s Principal Conductor, will ascend the rostrum. For the new Dresden production of »Turandot«, the French director Marie-Eve Signeyrole returns to the fairy-tale drama about a Chinese Princess, which was musically transposed into the operatic sphere by Giacomo Puccini, whose rich score is infused with Chinese folk melodies.

»DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN« UNDER THE BATON OF CHRISTIAN THIELEMANN

The absolute highlight of the upcoming season is certain to be the eagerly awaited return of Richard Wagner’s »Der Ring des Nibelungen« in the legendary Dresden production by Willy Decker. Two complete »Ring« cycles can be experienced in the Semperoper at the end of January and the beginning of February 2021, both under the baton of the Staatskapelle’s Principal Conductor, Christian Thielemann. The star-studded international cast includes Jennifer Holloway, Petra Lang, Christa Mayer, Albert Dohmen, Markus Eiche, Stephen Gould, Michael Volle and Georg Zeppenfeld.

Under the theme »Dancing into the future«, the 2020/21 season marks the 15th anniversary of the Semperoper Ballett under the direction of Aaron S. Watkin. The first of two premieres is Johan Inger’s epic narrative work »Peer Gynt«, in which the choreographer parallels his own career with Peer Gynt’s journey through life. Created in 2017 for the l Ballet, the Semperoper Ballett is the first company to take on this work which will premiere in November, 2020. George Balanchine’s »Serenade«, Crystal Pite’s »Plot Point« and William Forsythe’s »Playlist (EP)« make up the second premier program under the »Playlist«, which both will premiere as German premieres in June, 2021. From the classical full-lengths the company will perform »La Bayadère«, »The Nutcracker« & »Swan Lake« as well as the mixed bill »Four last Songs« and the award winning full-length creation »COW« by Alexander Ekman. The Company will close its season with a tour to National Theatre Taipei with a mixed program.

TICKETS

Ticket sales for the 2020/21 season begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 11 March 2020. Tickets can be booked online with credid card at www.semperoper.de.

This does not include bookings for the »Ring« cycles, for which special conditions apply. Contact: bestellung@semperoper.de