Ariadne auf Naxos
Lothar Koenigs conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a concert performance of Richard Strauss’s comedy Ariadne auf Naxos.
It’s the party to end all parties. But two entertainments have been double-booked to mark the evening’s climax – a serious opera and a slapstick comedy. The star soprano is throwing a tantrum and the staff are hiding the chaos from the boss. There’s only one solution: perform both shows at the same time.
This is a brand new concert staging by brilliant young director Louisa Muller. Among the specially selected cast are revered German soprano Dorothea Röschmann as the opera’s wronged heroine, Thomas Quasthoff as the house’s major-domo and prize-winning Scottish singer Catriona Morison as the composer.
As an opera within an opera and as a sly commentary on the struggles between high culture and low entertainment, Strauss’s comic creation was far ahead of its time. Bursting with life, vigour and humour, it’s also an opera that shows you can rediscover love in even the most unexpected places.
Sung in German with English supertitles
Röschmann's voice can seem poised somewhere between earth and heavenThe Guardian
Supported by
Dunard Fund
James and Morag Anderson
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Lothar Koenigs Conductor
Louisa Muller Staging
Cast includes
Dorothea Röschmann Ariadne
David Butt Philip Bacchus
Brenda Rae Zerbinetta
Catriona Morison Composer
Martin Gantner Music Master
Peter Bronder Dancing Master
Joshua Hopkins Harlequin
Alexander Sprague Scaramuccio
Barnaby Rea Truffaldino
Sunnyboy Dladla Brighella
Liv Redpath Naiad
Claire Barnett-Jones Dryad
Soraya Mafi Echo
Jonathan McGovern Wigmaker
Ossian Huskinson Lackey
Filipe Manu Officer
Thomas Quasthoff Major-domo
Strauss Ariadne Auf Naxos (1916 version)
Sung in German with English supertitles
Please note: due to a recent family bereavement, Sir Andrew Davis has withdrawn from conducting our performances of Ariadne auf Naxos. We are very grateful to Lothar Koenigs, who has agreed to step in to conduct.
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