Der Rosenkavalier
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One of the most popular 20th–century operas, Der Rosenvavalier (The Knight of the Rose) was created by the German composer Richard Strauss in collaboration with the Austrian writer, dramatist and librettist Hugo von Hoffmansthal. Presenting a colourful picture of life in mid-18th-century Vienna, it employs numerous time-honoured comedy traits – disguise, convoluted situations, ridiculous human types. The world premiere of Der Rosenkavalier, in 1911 in Dresden, was such a sensational success that extra train connections were provided in order to make it possible for opera fans from across Europe to travel to see the production in the capital of Saxony. Strauss himself referred to Der Rosenkavalier as a “Mozartean opera”, adding that he had aimed to create a modern version of Le nozze di Figaro.
Though a comedy, whose four protagonists – the aristocratic Marschallin, her lover Count Octavian, her cousin Baron Ochs and his prospective fiancée Sophie – are enmeshed in a number of intrigues involving mistaken identities, the piece also affords food for thought, incorporating such weighty themes as marital infidelity and human inconstancy. The new State Opera production of Der Rosenkavalier is a revival of the highly acclaimed Komische Oper Berlin adaptation, directed by Andreas Homoki and featuring Frank Philipp Schlößmann’s sets and Gideon Davey’s costumes.
Program and cast
Approximate running time: 4 hours 5 minutes, 2 intermission (20 minutes, 30 minutes) minutes
Language: In German, surtitles in Czech, English
Conductor: Hermann Bäumer; Richard Hein
Marschallin: Petra Alvarez Šimková
Baron Ochs: Jens Larsen
Octavian: Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir
Faninal: Martin Bárta
Sophie: Vera Talerko
Marianne: Lucie Hájková
Valzacchi: Christoph Späth
Annina: Jana Sýkorová
A Police Commissioner: Pavel Švingr
The Marschallin´s Major-Domo / An Innkeeper: Vít Šantora
The Faninal´s Major-domo / An Animal Seller: Jan M. Hájek
A Notary: Ivo Hrachovec
A Singer: Daniel Matoušek
A Milliner: Kristýna Kůstková
Three Noble Orphans: Lucia Bildová; Markéta Frýdová; Alžběta Frošová; Eliška Rokos Mourečková; Kristina Kubová; Elmaz Mrkvičková
Four Footmen of the Marschallin: Nenad Milanović; Benjamín Hájek; Libor Novák; Vladimír Müller; Tomáš Foltýnek; Zdeněk Haas; Andrey Styrkul; Tomáš Bartůněk
Four Waiters: Nikolaj Nikolov; Leonid Fokin; Michael Skalický; Lukáš Frýda; Libor Novák; Dalibor Pavelka; Alexander Laptěv; Pavel Borek
State Opera Chorus
State Opera Orchestra
National Theatre Opera Ballet
Pupils of the Olga Kyndlová Ballet School
Children’s Opera Prague
Creative team
Stage director - Andreas Homoki
Assistant stage director - Werner Sauer
Sets - Frank Philipp Schlößmann
Costume design - Gideon Davey
Light design - Franck Evin
Chorus master - Adolf Melichar
Prague State Opera
The State Opera today
The State Opera (formerly the State Opera Prague, between 1948 and 1992 the Smetana Theatre, and originally the New German Theatre) has been a part of the National Theatre since 2012. The Opera and Ballet ensembles give repertory performances at the State Opera.
History
The Prague State Opera resides in the building which on January 5, 1888 was opened as a Prague German stage with the performance of Wagner’s opera, The Mastersingers of Nürnberg. In the 19th century, Prague Germans performed in the Estate’s Theater in alternation with a Czech company. Desire for their own theater led to negotiations in 1883 for the construction of a new theater building for the German Theater Association. Over the next three years, a blueprint was drawn up and handed over to the Vienna atelier of Fellner and Hellmer. Also sharing in the design was the architect of the Vienna Municipal Theater, Karl Hasenauer, while Prague architect Alfons Wertmüller took part in the construction. Financing came from private collections. With its spacious auditorium and neo-Rococo decoration, this theater building is among the most beautiful in Europe.
Access:
By car
On Wilsonova street, from the left lane close to the State Opera building take the slip road to the Slovan above-ground garage. The parking fee is 40 CZK/h.
By tram
By daytime tram No. 11 to the stop “Muzeum”, through the underpass beneath Legerova street in the direction of the NationalMuseum, at the crossroads turn right along the NewBuilding of the NationalMuseum.
By daytime trams Nos. 3, 9, 14 and 24 or night trams Nos. 51, 52, 54, 55, 56 and 58 to the stop “Václavské náměstí”, then by foot uphill on the left side of the Wenceslas Square to the traffic lights across Wilsonova and Vinohradská streets. Then turn left along the NewBuilding of the NationalMuseum.
By metro
To the “Muzeum” station, lines A and C (green and red), and then by foot along the NewBuilding of the NationalMuseum.