Admin

Organization

Singer

Soprano

Malena Ernman

Béatrice

Tenor

Bernard Richter

Bénédict

Baritone

Nikolay Borchev

Claudio

Christiane Karg

Héro

Contralto

Ann-Beth Solvang

Ursule

Bass

Miklós Sebestyén

The Archbishop

Spoken

Thomas Engel

Léonato

Martin Snell

Don Pedro

Conductor

Leo Hussain

Stage director

Kasper Holten

Costume designer

Moritz Junge

Set designer

Es Devlin

Libretto

Hector Berlioz

Lighting designer

Bruno Poet

MusikTheater an der Wien

French

Béatrice et Bénédict -  (Beatrice and Benedict)

Vienna

Austria

Theater an der Wien

Beatrice and Benedict

German

Approved

MAKING-OF Jugendoper Béatrice et Bénédict TEIL II

Hector Berlioz loved Shakespeare's plays and always wanted to write an opera on a text by the great English poet. As early as 1833 he noted: "By the way, I'm going to write a very funny Italian opera
about Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing." However, it took almost 30 years before he realized this idea. For the opening of the theater in Baden-Baden he received from Édouard Bénazet, the director of the casino,
a composition commission. Berlioz saw a fitting opportunity for his Shakespeare opera. He wrote the libretto himself: “It is simply a matter of convincing Béatrice and Bénédict that they are in love with each other… It is very funny, you will see. Then there are also jokes about my invention and musical charges, ”he wrote. The overwhelming success of the premiere in 1862 proved him right.

Béatrice is an eloquent scratching brush, Bénédict a no less tongue-tied thick head. So the two are made for each other. Only - even if they already know that in their hearts, and tell each other every day in all their squabbles, they would never admit it to each other. Marriage? This is dangerous sentimental nonsense. Héro and Claudio, the tender, more open-minded lovers, decide to help Béatrice and Bénédict find happiness and devise a cunning intrigue to make the two fighters aware of their love. In the end there is a double wedding - although Béatrice and Bénédict only take such a risk on a trial for one day.

Berlioz himself judged this cheerful opera about love to be one of his “most lively and original”. Wide-ranging melodies and concise, transparent instrumentation create a cheerful, sparkling atmosphere. In this, Berlioz proves all of his compositional mastery and wisdom. Romantic, eternal love is an illusion that is as beautiful as it is powerful. But how do you recognize an affection suitable for life?

English

Beatrice and Benedict by Berlioz, From (2013/2013), Directed by Kasper Holten,, Conductor Leo Hussain, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria

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