Zurich Opera House tickets 9 May 2024 - Götterdämmerung | GoComGo.com

Götterdämmerung

Zurich Opera House, Zurich, Switzerland
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Important Info
Type: Opera
City: Zurich, Switzerland
Starts at: 16:00
Sung in: German
Titles in: German,English
Cast
Performers
Soprano: Camilla Nylund (Brünnhilde)
Baritone: Christopher Purves (Alberich)
Baritone: Daniel Schmutzhard (Gunther)
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda
Tenor: Klaus Florian Vogt (Siegfried)
Orchestra: Philharmonia Zürich
Choir: Zürich Opera Chorus
Creators
Composer: Richard Wagner
Director: Andreas Homoki
Librettist: Richard Wagner
Overview

Here at the Opernhaus, Intendant and stage director Andreas Homoki and General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda complete their Zurich Ring cycle with the premiere of Götterdämmerung. Camilla Nylund and Klaus Florian Vogt return in Götterdämmerung as Siegfried and Brünnhilde, as they both make important role debuts once again in Zurich.

At the end of the second day of Richard Wagner’s world-encompassing Bühnenfestspiel, Siegfried and Brünnhilde joyfully sang of their love. For a moment, it seemed as if a utopia ruled by love, free from power struggles, was possible. But right from dawn of the third and last day, the Norns announce: "Zu End’ ist ewiges Wissen" – "Eternal knowledge is at its end" – and a terrible ending approaches. Although he loves her, Siegfried will soon leave Brünnhilde, so that he may take off on new adventures. He will meet Hagen, son of the hate-filled Alberich, who will use Siegfried for his cynical plans for domination. Manipulating Siegfried is an easy task, for he knows nothing of the power of the ring that he gave Brünnhilde as a sign of his love. But Hagen knows of its power; driven by greed for power and domination, he spins his web of intrigue. But Siegfried isn’t Hagen’s only victim. Brünnhilde, too, must endure terrible betrayal, experiencing terrible humiliation and endless pain. Siegfried’s death ultimately leads to the end of the world – the curse of the ring has lost none of its power. When Brünnhilde realizes the full extent of the deception, she returns the ring to the Rhinemaidens, choosing death for herself. But alongside destruction and downfall, there is also a spark of hope: for the first time, the so-called redemption motif, first heard when Brünnhilde heralded the birth of Siegfried to Sieglinde in Die Walküre, is heard again at the end of Götterdämmerung. Richard Wagner began work on the text and composition of the Ring des Nibelungen in Zurich in 1849, under the influence of revolution. Some 26 years later – after interrupting work on Siegfried for 12 years – he completed his magnum opus and premiered it at the newly-founded Bayreuther Festspiele.

History
Premiere of this production: 17 August 1876, Bayreuth Festspielhaus

Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods) is the last in Richard Wagner's cycle of four music dramas titled Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung, or The Ring for short).

Venue Info

Zurich Opera House - Zurich
Location   Sechseläutenplatz 1

Zürich Opera House is a main opera house in Zürich and Switzerland. Located at the Sechseläutenplatz, it has been the home of the Zürich Opera since 1891, and also houses the Bernhard-Theater Zürich. It is also home to the Zürich Ballet. The Opera House also holds concerts by its Philharmonia orchestra, matinees, Lieder evenings and events for children. The Zürich Opera Ball is organised every year in March, and is usually attended by prominent names.

The first permanent theatre, the Aktientheater, was built in 1834 and it became the focus of Richard Wagner’s activities during his period of exile from Germany.

The Aktientheater burnt down in 1890. The new Stadttheater Zürich (municipal theatre) was built by the Viennese architects Fellner & Helmer, who changed their previous design for the theatre in Wiesbaden only slightly. It was opened in 1891. It was the city's main performance space for drama, opera, and musical events until 1925, when it was renamed Opernhaus Zürich and a separate theatre for plays was built: The Bernhard Theater opened in 1941, in May 1981 the Esplanada building was demolished, and the present adjoint building opened on 27/28 December 1984 after three years of transition in the Kaufhaus building nearby Schanzengraben.

By the 1970s, the opera house was badly in need of major renovations; when some considered it not worth restoring, a new theatre was proposed for the site. However, between 1982 and 1984, rebuilding took place but not without huge local opposition which was expressed in street riots. The rebuilt theatre was inaugurated with Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and the world première of Rudolf Kelterborn’s Chekhov opera Der Kirschgarten.

As restored, the theatre is an ornate building with a neo-classical façade of white and grey stone adorned with busts of Weber, Wagner, and Mozart. Additionally, busts of Schiller, Shakespeare, and Goethe are to be found. The auditorium is built in the neo-rococo style and seats approximately 1200 people. During the refurbishment, the issue of sightlines was not adequately addressed. As a result, the theatre has a high number of seats with a limited view, or no view, of the stage. This is unusual in international comparison, where sightlines in historic opera houses have been typically enhanced over time.

Corporate archives and historical library collections are held at the music department of the Predigerkirche Zürich.

The Zürich Opera House is also home of the International Opera Studio (in German: Internationales Opernstudio IOS) which is a educational program for young singers and pianists. The studio was created in 1961 and has renowned artists currently teaching such as Brigitte Fassbaender, Hedwig Fassbender, Andreas Homocki, Rosemary Joshua, Adrian Kelly, Fabio Luisi, Jetske Mijnssen, Ann Murray, Eytan Pessen or Edith Wiens.

Important Info
Type: Opera
City: Zurich, Switzerland
Starts at: 16:00
Sung in: German
Titles in: German,English
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