Amber Norelai und Ensemble
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Mona Akinola und Chor
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Nicole Lubinger und Bewegungschor
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Željko Zaplatić und Pasquale Greco
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Luke Sinclair
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Katie Coventry und Yevheniy Kapitula
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Yevheniy Kapitula, Katie Coventry und Theodore Browne
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Daniele Macciantelli, Pasquale Greco, Katie Coventry und Theodore Browne
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Ensemble
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Anita Giovanna Rosati und Hyunduk Kim
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

George Humphreys
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

George Humphreys und Chor
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Anita Giovanna Rosati
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Daniele Macciantelli
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Ensemble
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Mona Akinola, Željko Zaplatić, Michael Schober und Daniele Macciantelli
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Ensemble
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Katie Coventry, George Humphreys und Michael Schober
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Theodore Browne und Katie Coventry
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Yevheniy Kapitula, Katie Coventry, Theodore Browne und Ensemble
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Pasquale Greco und George Humphreys
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Nicole Lubinger, Bewegungschor und Chor
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Anita Giovanna Rosati
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

Ensemble
© SLT / Tobias Witzgall

THE JOURNEY TO REIMS – IL VIAGGIO A REIMS

Gioachino Rossini

in Italian with German and English subtitles

Dramma giocoso in one act and two scenes by Luigi Balocchi

Premiere: 21.09.2024 / Landestheater

Synopsis

“One of the oddest and most exhilarating entertainments ever to issue from the pen of an opera composer.” – That’s how Rossini’s biographer Richard Osborne describes the musical fireworks that represent a playful and affectionate overview of the composer’s entire wealth of experience. The plot of the opera is as simple as it is brilliant: A motley crew of eccentric visitors from various European countries are planning to travel to Reims (which was then the centre of power, comparable to Brussels today) but are prevented from arriving at their destination. During their involuntary wait, these highly individual European characters mingle – some eyeing each other warily, some making eyes at each other. Most importantly, however, they make use of every occasion to express their emotions musically by bursting into virtuous song.

Rossini’s last opera in Italian is a masterpiece for an incredible cast of ten leading parts, many supporting parts and choir. Rossini put the skills of his large ensemble to full use, letting the first scene peak in a composition for 14 voices and tailoring his highly virtuous arias and ensembles to the abilities of his singers.

The world premiere in Paris on 19 June 1825 was attended by the King and was received enthusiastically. Rossini (1792– 1868) subsequently withdrew the work and re-used its music for other operas. The opera had long been considered lost, but was rediscovered and performed at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro in 1984, with Claudio Abbado conducting. Since then, it has graced many season programmes.

The Italian director Andrea Bernard from Bolzano will stage Rossini’s comedy at the Salzburg State Theatre. He also presented “Carmen” at the theatre tent and recently dazzled the opera world with a new production of “Don Carlo” in Como. First Kapellmeister Carlo Benedetto Cimento, who has enthralled Salzburg audiences with “Il barbiere di Siviglia” and “Lucio Silla”, will be conducting.

We would like to thank Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart for the loans.

Duration: 3h / one break

Reviews

„Im Ensemblehöhepunkt, dem 13-stimmigen Gran pezzo concertato, zeigt sich aber auch die kollektive Energie der weitgehend passgenau ausgewählten Sängerpersönlichkeiten: keine geringe Leistung für die Kapazitäten dieses Theaters.“

Salzburger Nachrichten

„Lustvoll und pointiert, mit überschäumendem Witz werden Geschichten über Geschichten erzählt. Die Spielfreude des Ensembles kennt ebensowenig Grenzen wie der Erfindungsreichtum der Regie. Ganz wesentlich: Das ist alles auf den Punkt hin getrimmt und entspricht dem Rädchenwerk der Musik-Maschinerie. Ein Timing, wie man es sich wünscht.“

Drehpunkt Kultur