Dutch National Opera presents
SACRIFICE FOR A SOUL
Dvořák’s Rusalka is about a water nymph who dreams of a life on land, rooted in the tradition of the ‘undine’ as well as the opposition between man and nature. While Rusalka sacrifices almost everything to live as a human with her prince, she ultimately returns to the water utterly disillusioned.
Background
Undine
An undine is a water nymph that takes the form of a dazzlingly beautiful woman without a soul. The only way that she can obtain a soul is by marrying a human, but if he leaves her, she kills him with a kiss. With no hope of finding lasting contentment in either her own or the human world, the undine is tragically doomed to a lonely existence.
Dvořák’s supreme masterpiece
Antonín Dvořák created Rusalka when he was at the very height of his musical powers. It contains sublimely poetic and sensual passages, particularly those evoking the Bohemian forest. Rusalka is the Czech composer’s most adored opera both within and outside his homeland. Most famous is Rusalka’s ‘Song to the Moon’, in which she begs the moon to tell her beloved that she is waiting for him.
Team and cast
For this annual Holland Festival production, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is led by young Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša, whose mentor Jiřì Bêlohlávek was a specialist in this repertoire. He and director Philipp Stölzl are both new faces at DNO.
Eleonora Buratto sings Rusulka for the first time, returning to DNO after roles in Il viaggio a Reims, Le nozze di Figaro and La bohème. In the role of the Prince is American tenor Brian Jagde, acclaimed as one of the greatest tenors singing today. Dmitry Ivashchenko (Khovanshchina, Die Zauberflöte) is the water sprite Vodník and Anna Larsson (Gurre-Lieder) the witch Ježibaba.
Rusalka
Lyrisch sprookje
in 3 bedrijven
Libretto
Jaroslav Kvapil
Wereldpremière
31 maart 1901
Nationaal Theater
Praag
Team, Cast and Chorus
- Musical Director
- Jakub Hrůša
- Stage Director
- Philipp Stölzl
- Set Designer
- Heike Vollmer en Philipp Stölzl
- Costume Designer
- Anke Winckler
- Dramaturgy
- Simon Berger
- Light
- Philipp Stölzl in collaboration with Cor van den Brink
- Orchestra
- Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
- Chorus
- Chorus of Dutch National Opera
- Chorus Master
- Ching-Lien Wu
- Prins
- Brian Jagde
(6, 9, 14, 16, 20, 23 juni)
Pavel Černoch
(26, 28 juni) - Vreemde prinses
- Elena Zhidkova
- Rusalka
- Eleonora Buratto
- Vodník
- Dmitry Ivashchenko
- Ježibaba
- Anna Larsson
- Jachtopziener
- Tim Kuypers
- Braadspitdraaier
- Karin Strobos
- Jager
- Mark Omvlee
- Drie nimfen
- Lilian Farahani
Rosanne van Sandwijk
Alyona Abramova
ORchestra
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is one of the world’s leading orchestras, renowned for its unique sound and stylistic flexibility, and has worked with the most distinguished composers and conductors. Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss and Igor Stravinsky all led the orchestra on more than one occasion. Since its formation in 1888, the orchestra has had only seven chief conductors: Willem Kes, Willem Mengelberg, Eduard van Beinum, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, Mariss Jansons and – from September 2016 to August 2018 – Daniele Gatti. At this time, the position is vacant. The orchestra’s educational programme, RCO Academy, trains young talented musicians for orchestral careers. In 2020, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is accompanying Rusalka at DNO.
Chorus
Chorus of Dutch National Opera
Dutch National Opera's own chorus consists of 50 singers, regularly augmented with freelance members for large productions. The Chorus has an impressive record with milestones including opera productions of Saint Francois d’Assise, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, Ercole amante, Boris Godoenov, La Juive, Les Troyens, Eugene Onegin, Parsifal, Guillaume Tell, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh, Faust, La forza del destino, Das Flos der Medusa, Oedipe and Tannhauser, and concerts of Der fliegende Hollander in Rotterdam, Paris and Dortmund and Daphnis et Chloe with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev. Under the artistic direction of Ching-Lien Wu since 1 September 2014, in 2016 the authoritative Opernwelt magazine named the DNO Chorus the Best Opera Chorus of the year. In the 2019-2020 season the Chorus is singing in Pagliacci |Cavalleria rusticana, Così fan tutte, La Cenerentola, Nabucco, Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Carmen and Rusalka.
FOYER evening
ma 18 mei Rusalka
Musical evening giving an accessible, in-depth explanation of operas and ballets.
NB: In principle, the foyer evenings are given in Dutch, but in practice the high number of international guests means that English is often spoken as well.
IN SHORT
Step into the world of the makers. Sit back with a drink in an informal setting and enjoy an aria or duet, a pas de deux or small ensemble, or an interview with a singer or choreographer. A varied programme, linked to a topical theme, is presented for each production.
ADMISSION
The doors and the bar open at 20.00. The evening begins at 20.30 and lasts around an hour and a quarter. The bar will stay open afterwards.
Regular - € 10
Students - € 7.50
Free for Giving Circle members of Dutch National Opera, Dutch National Ballet and Dutch National Opera & Ballet. Prices are exclusive of booking charges. Tickets for performances can be purchased separately
Mon 04 Feb
Bachtrack over Stölzl’s Il Trovatore, 2013
“Philipp Stölzl’s production is intellectually challenging as well as visually interesting, […].”
Thu 14 Feb
Das Opernmagazin 2018 about Stölzl's Frankenstein
‘Under Stölzl's powerful acting direction, the singers demonstrate that they can undergo a swift transformation.’
