What drives us to submit to the unknown, to forget what we once felt, to abandon our conception of who we are? Tchaikovsky's operatic adaptation of Pushkin's Gothic tale par excellence has never looked or sounded better than in this new staging from the Bavarian State Opera, featuring the 2023 Opus Klassik Singer of the Year, Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian, as Liza! Her 2022 turn in the same role at La Scala "[crowned] the evening," with the "outstanding" Grigorian, "at full throttle both vocally and dramatically… making a direct connection with the audience" (Bachtrack). The cast also features renowned American tenor Brandon Jovanovich in the lead role of Hermann and the legendary Violeta Urmana as the Countess, whose secret drives Hermann to obsession and a tragic end for all.
This brand-new production from one of the world's greatest opera houses is conducted by young maestro Aziz Shokhakimov (music director of the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra) and directed by Benedict Andrews, an artist of bold vision who has also won acclaim for his work on the theatre stage and the silver screen.
Photo: Asmik Grigorian © Wilfried Hösl
