IN ENGLISH
DER ROSENKAVALIER The beautiful, much admired Marie Thérèse lives in her fancy flat in Vienna. Her husband is away and she has an affair with the young Octavian. Life is good. When Baron Ochs comes calling, Octavian has to dress up as a woman to escape detection. But when Octavian leaves Marie Thérèse for the young Sophie, she is confronted with the realisation that her life is emptier than she had thought, and that both beauty and life itself are fading away around her. Der Rosenkavalier is one of Richard Strauss’s most popular operas. It is staged at the Royal Swedish Opera by acclaimed German director Christof Loy, who drew his inspiration from 18th-century Vienna, contemporary Stockholm and the Drottningholm Court Theatre. The field marshal’s wife, Marie Thérèse, is played by critically acclaimed soprano Malin Byström. Further information on page 20
ELEKTRA Richard Strauss takes the audience’s breath away with his hair-raising drama about Elektra, a king’s daughter obsessed with avenging her father’s murder. The story, based on Sophocles’ classic tragedy, is an incisive study of female rage, but is also a poignant portrayal of a young woman in free fall. It’s an emotional highway through a landscape of blood and disaster, and the pace is unsettling from the first note to the last. The production, which premiered to popular acclaim in December 2009, is directed by Staffan Valdemar Holm, who also put on Wagner’s famous Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Royal Swedish Opera. The three female leads are among the most demanding and violent roles in all of opera. Elektra features two world renowned artists, soprano Irene Theorin and Katarina Dalayman, who played Elektra in the premiere, returns as Klytaemnestra. Elektra’s sister Chrysothemis is played by rising star Cornelia Beskow. Further information on page 26
BALLETS
JULIET & ROMEO
ARTIFACT SUITE & THE GREY AREA
A girl and a boy are in love. Why does everyone else think that their love is wrong? A romantic story in a brutal environment. A clash of people and power. A struggle between generations. Love, hate and jealousy. Who can win?
The Royal Swedish Ballet presents two of the most acclaimed choreographers of our time – William Forsythe and David Dawson. With their signature choreographic form, these artists have created a modern identity for classical ballet. »artifact suite« Artifact Suite, which premiered in 2004, arose out of the full-length ballet Artifact. The work as a whole was created by choreographer William Forsythe in 1984 for the Frankfurt Ballet, where he served as artistic director from 1984 to 2004. Forsythe is one of the most important contemporary choreographers. In Artifact Suite, Forsythe offers the audience a generous helping of playfulness paired with brilliant composition in his ode to classical ballet. »the grey area« The Grey Area moves the audience beyond time and space with its abstract, emotionally-charged choreography. A modern ballet with a focus on the dynamics, aesthetics and weightlessness of classical ballet, and where the dancers’ personal interpretation is at the forefront. David Dawson is one of the most innovative choreographers working in classical ballet today. He is adored by critics and audiences alike. Artifact Suite & The Grey Area were previously staged at the Royal Swedish Opera in 2014 and 2006, respectively. Further information on page 43
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Choreographer Mats Ek, one of the most important names in the international dance world, has created several new interpretations of classics, such as Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. His full-length version of Juliet & Romeo from 2013, is back at the Opera after an acclaimed tour of Europe and the USA. Further information on page 44
ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND It all starts at a garden party where Alice sees an old friend of her parents transform into a white rabbit. She follows him, falls down a hole and ends up in a strange place wher nothing seems to make sense. It all becomes »curiouser and curiouser« in this upside-down adventure. Follow Alice down the rabbit hole – we’re all mad here! British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s vibrantly colourful hit production is back! This madcap ballet adventure, a magical explosion of theatrical effects, is based on Lewis Carroll’s much-loved classic novel. This production was first seen at the Royal Opera House in England in 2011 and opened in Stockholm in spring 2016. Now back by popular demand! Further information on page 42