Plans for Graz Opera

Heavyweights and light fare for the anniversary

(Bild: Oper Graz)

125 years of Graz Opera House: Artistic Director Ulrich Lenz and his team presented their plans for the 2024/25 anniversary season, opening with Wagner's "Tannhäuser".

"Opera, open up!" Ulrich Lenz launched his first season as Artistic Director of Oper Graz with this slogan in the fall of 2023. He and his team have now presented the plans for the second season in the provincial capital - and added the slogan "Opera, open me!". Because in the 2024/25 anniversary season, Lenz wants to delve even deeper into the city and the hearts of visitors.

Three heavyweights in the program
Among other things, he has some heavyweights in the program: the season will open with Wagner's "Tannhäuser", directed by Evgeny Titov, who is considered a "rising star" in the opera world and whom Lenz describes as "one of the most exciting directors of the present day". Another heavyweight is Hector Berlioz' "Les Troyens", the mammoth work will actually be performed for the first time in Graz. And ballet director Dirk Elwert is also starting the season with what he calls a "milestone in dance history": Igor Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du printemps", whose premiere in Paris in 1913 became one of the most legendary scandals in music history. In Graz, Cuban choreographer George Céspedes will take a completely new look at the classic.

Artistic Director Ulrich Lenz, Chief Dramaturge Katharina John, Head of Ballet Dirk Elwert and Chief Conductor Vassilis Christopoulos (from left)

(Bild: Marija Kanizaj)

Chief conductor Vassilis Christopoulos will be the musical director for all three of these "heavyweights": "We want to take the audience on a cathartic journey through strong emotions and inspire them," he says.

Peter Konwitschny's production of "La Traviata" has already thrilled countless audiences at the opera since its premiere in 2011 - the production will be back on the program next season - "probably for the last time", as Lenz says.

Light fare for "in between"
And because a repertoire cannot only consist of such heavyweights, much lighter fare is also presented in between: "The second half of the season in particular is dedicated to the play of lovers," says head dramaturge Katharina John. The spectrum ranges from Cole Porter's musical "Silk Stockings" to Franz Lehár's rarely performed operetta "Schön ist die Welt" and Mozart's opera "Cosi fan tutte", ending in absolute emotional chaos with Benjamin Britten's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Fiery subjects for advertising

(Bild: Rene Hundertpfund)

For the younger audience, the upcoming season will once again see a collaboration with the Next Liberty and "The Wonderful Voyage of Nils Holgerson". Thomas Zaufke has set this classic by Selma Lagerlöf to music for Graz. And with "Carnival of the Animals", there will also be a ballet production for young audiences in the coming season.

King soccer on the opera stage
And because Lenz and his team also want to reach new audiences in the coming season, they are also focusing on King Football: Paul Abraham's soccer operetta "Roxy und ihr Wunderteam" can be seen as a concert version. Sturm legend Martin Ehrenreich will act as narrator, and other SK Sturm Graz players are also set to appear. The program also includes the world premiere of a contemporary operetta, "Mein Lieblingstier heißt Winter".

There are changes to the ensemble: Neven Crinic and Mario Lerchenberger are following former artistic director Nora Schmidt to Dresden, and Tetiana Mius is also leaving the ensemble. Sofia Vinnik (from the Vienna Volksoper) as well as Ted Black and Nikita Ivasechko (from the State Opera Studio) are coming to Graz instead.

Tickets for the new season go on sale on June 3.