Organization

Chorus master

Eleni Papakyriakou

Singer

Soprano

Yitian Luan

Anna

Baritone

Kyung Chun Kim

Guglielmo Wulf

Tenor

Vicent Romero

Roberto

Conductor

Basil H. E. Coleman

Reinhild Buchmayer

Santuzza

Turiddu

Contralto

Lucie Ceralová

Lucia

Alfio

Mezzo-soprano

Sabine Noack

Lola

Stage director

Jürgen Pöckel

Set designer

Andrea Hölzl

Costume designer

Choreographer

Annett Göhre

Spoken

Anna Veit

Voce recitante

Dramaturge

Swantje Schmidt-Bundschuh

Landestheater Niederbayern

Anne-Theresa Møller

Others

Chor des Landestheater Niederbayerns

Orchestra

Niederbayerische Philharmonie

Italian

Le Villi -  (The Will-o-the-Wisps)

Passau

Germany

Straubing

Landshut

Public

The Will-o-the-Wisps

Rustic Chivalry

German

Approved

DESERTED BY ALL GHOSTS Giacomo Puccini's first opera, Le Villi, is set in Germany. Inspired by Heinrich Heine 's elemental spirits, the young composer set the story of the Willis, the spirits of abandoned women who died of lovesickness, to music. After Robert breaks the heart of his fiancée Anna, he is danced to death by the Willis.

 

SHORT AND GOOD In 1883, the Italian publishing house Sonzogno announced a composition competition for one-act operas for the first time, aimed at young musical talents. This was intended to counteract the signs of fatigue that the epic monumental works produced among the public; Richard Wagner's operas had left their mark. The short form should point the way in a new direction: from the broad myths with their heroic figures to compact forms, current topics and simple people. Both short operas, Le Villi and Cavalleria Rusticana , are regarded as pioneers of modern Italian opera at the turn of the century. At the center of each is a jealousy story in which the betrayed woman becomes an avenging angel.

 

AND THE WINNER IS... not Le Villi : Puccini's competition entry did not win a prize, but Italy's most important publisher, Giulio Ricordi, caught the young man's attention and immediately signed him. According to an anecdote, a young musician named Pietro Mascagni played the double bass at the premiere of Le Villi. When the competition was announced for the second time in 1890, he won with his opera Cavalleria rusticanaemerges, a love triangle in rural Sicily: Santuzza has given himself to Turiddu, who had promised her marriage. But then she has to find out that he is having a secret affair with Lola, the wife of the rich carter Alfio. Santuzza tries to win Turiddu back, but he brutally pushes her to the ground in front of Lola. Then Santuzza's love turns to hate...

English

The Will-o-the-Wisps by Puccini, Rustic Chivalry by Mascagni, From (2023/2023), Directed by Jürgen Pöckel,, Conductor Basil H. E. Coleman

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues