The director Monique Wagemakers studied dance education and music at the Brabants Conservatorium in Tilburg. She worked at the Nationale Opera Amsterdam until 1993. Her work is in demand both nationally and internationally, including at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Nationaltheater Mannheim, the State Theatres of Stuttgart, Hanover, Augsburg, Nuremberg and Mainz and the Gran Teatre Del Liceu. She has also worked successfully as co-director and choreographer for the Glyndebourne Festival, the Nederlandse Opera and the Grachtenfestival in Amsterdam. She taught at the Utrecht School of Arts from 1995 to 2009 and has been on the faculty of the Amsterdam University of the Arts since 2003.

Other power-packed and soul-stirring performances that will lure audiences to the opera house in December include »Hansel and Gretel«, »Lohengrin« and the Leipzig Ballet’s »Swan Lake«. In addition to Offenbach, Strauss and Lehar, the popular Opera Gala at the end of the year also features Verdi, including the overture to »La forza del destino«, Macbeth’s aria »Pietà, rispetto, amore« and the beautiful chorus »Va, pensiero« from »Nabucco«. The star soloists for New Year’s Eve include Olga Jelínková, Ulrike Schneider, Brenden Gunnell and Matthias Hausmann.

The winter revue at the Musikalische Komödie has the title “Arriving late to Happiness” (»Mit Verspätung ins Glück«). That the title of this amusing train station fairytale would come true the way it did was not at all intended, since its opening night had to bepostponed to December 10. Regrettably, too many rehearsals had to be cancelled due to illness within the team. Firmly fixed and festive however are the two traditional Advent concerts on December 12 and 13 in the Old City Hall under the baton of conductor Tobias Engeli. The tranquil programme includes well-known and cherished favourites, presented by the ensemble and orchestra of the Musikalische Komödie. For all ticket requests, Oper Leipzig Visitor Service is available Tue – Fri 10 am to 6 pm, Sat 12 noon to 6 pm, as well as at the box office in the Opera House and by telephone on + 49 (0)341-12 61 261.

The Leipzig Opera follows the tradition of over 325 years of musical theatre in Leipzig: in 1693, the first opera house on the Brühl was opened as the third civic music theatre in Europe after Venice and Hamburg. Since 1840, the world-renowned Gewandhaus Orchestra has played for all performances of the opera and the Leipzig ballet. In addition to today’s opera house on Augustusplatz, built in 1960, Leipzig Opera includes the Musikalische Komödie, a special venue for musical and operettas. With around 680employees, it is the city’s largest in-house cultural institution and comprises five mainstays: the opera, Musikalische Komödie, Leipzig Ballet, their 360° outreach and educational programme, and the craft studios which work for all of the city’s theatres.

www.oper-leipzig.de/en

Dreiklang 9 The Magazine of the Leipzig Opera (German)

Oper Leipzig’s Booklet of Season 22/23 online (German)