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What lengths would you go to find happiness? In their reading of the opera fairy tale Rusalka, directors Philipp Stölzl and Philipp M. Krenn depict a young woman on the fringes of society. At the cinema, she fantasises about living in the golden heyday of Hollywood, by the side of a handsome movie star. She goes to great lengths to enter this world. But will reality live up to the dream?


Rusalka is Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s most successful opera and tells a fairy tale very similar to Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. Its highlight is often considered to be the wistful, haunting ‘Song to the Moon’, in which Rusalka asks the moon to reveal her love to the prince. Dvořák’s composition is achingly stunning, its sound is poetic and sensual and full of wonderful sound effects. 


Conductor Joana Mallwitz leads the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and directed by German Philipp Stölzl, soprano Johanni van Oostrum sings the role of Rusalka. Czech tenor Pavel Černoch sings the role of the prince, and American mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis makes her debut as the witch Ježibaba. A timeless tale of dreams, desire and disappointment.

  • © Michel Schnater

  • © Michel Schnater

  • © Milagro Elstak

  • © Milagro Elstak

credits

music Antonín Dvořák libretto Jaroslav Kvapil musical direction Joana Mallwitz direction Philipp Stölzl, Philipp M. Krenn light design Philipp Stölzl set design Heike Vollmer, Philipp Stölzl costumes Anke Winckler choreography Juanjo Arqués dramaturgy Simon Berger vocals Pavel Černoch, Annette Dasch, Johanni van Oostrum, Raehann Bryce-Davis, Maxim Kuzmin-Karavaev, Karin Strobos, Opera Studio, Georgiy Derbas-Richter, Inna Demenkova, Elenora Hu, Maya Gour orchestra Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra choir Chorus of Dutch National Opera chorus conductor Edward Ananian-Cooper production Dutch National Opera

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