“The nightingale sang so gloriously that tears came to the Emperor’s eyes”. In his tale “Nattergalen” Hans Christian Andersen thus describes the effect of the inconspicuous little bird with its voice of bell-like clarity, that holds all the glorious Chinese empire under its spell. But when it flies away from the court because it is to be replaced by an automatic toy, the Emperor banishes it beyond the furthest border of his lands. All at once darkness and death come over China, the Emperor is haunted by ghosts from his past, and only the prompt return of the real nightingale with its glorious voice, whose charm can prevail over ghosts and even over death, are able to save him.

The dreamy atmosphere of the score of Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) unites the most important and most beautiful ingredients of an opera: the florid writing for the singer of the nightingale is just as captivating as the briskness of the scenes at the Chinese imperial court.


“Deutsche Oper am Rhein have chosen the right approach in its offers for children and for the whole family. If the little ones are to be attracted into the opera-house, then it is most important that all the magic a theatre can offer should be summoned up”.
Pedro Obiera, NRZ

“Verdict: very valuable!”
Wolfram Goertz, Rheinische Post

 
***
Igor Stravinsky

DIE NACHTIGALL
Nursery story in three acts
Libretto by Stepan Mitussow and the composer after Hans Christian Andersen

 
In German with German surtitles
 

Musikalische Leitung Wen-Pin Chien
Inszenierung Svenja Tiedt
Bühne und Kostüme Tatjana Ivschina
Chorleitung Christoph Kurig
Choreographie Amelie Jalowy
Licht Franz-Xaver Schaffer
Dramaturgie Bernhard F. Loges
 
Die Nachtigall Olga Trifonova
Die Köchin Jessica Stavros
Der Fischer Ovidiu Purcel
Der Kaiser von China Bogdan Baciu
Der Kammerherr Felix Rathgeber
Der Bonze Lukasz Konieczny
Der Tod Nassrin Azarmi
Gesandte Run-Rui Du, Jong-Hyun Yoon, Martin Js. Ohu
Chor Chor der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Orchester Düsseldorfer Symphoniker