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Ticket pick-up at the evening box office
Run time: 2hrs 30min, 1 intermission
Sung in FRENCH
Subtitles in English, German, Italian, French, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese
Piotr Beczala sings the romantic title hero of Massenet’s operatic adaptation of Goethe’s classic epistolary novel. Gaëlle Arquez is Charlotte, the object of Werther’s passionate affection that will lead to tragedy. Daniela Fally as Sophie, Charlotte’s younger sister, and Clemens Unterreiner as Albert, Charlotte’s stern yet generous husband, co-star. Andrei Serban`s atmospheric production is conducted by maestro Bertrand de Billy.
Jules Massenet (1842–1912) was the leading French composer of his time, noted for his operas, oratorios, ballets and songs. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at age 11, and in 1863 won France's top musical prize, the Prix de Rome. Massenet’s style lost popularity in the early 20th century, with only Manon and Werther maintaining a place in the international opera repertoire.
The libretto, provided by the team Édouard Blau (1836–1906), Paul Milliet (1855–1924), and Georges Hartmann (1843–1900), is loosely based on Goethe’s novel The sorrows of young Werther (1774).