Can tragic opera and slapstick comedy coexist? When a wealthy patron demands both genres be performed simultaneously, backstage egos collide and artistic tempers flare. Richard Strauss’s brilliant masterpiece offers a witty look at the clashing personalities—from the lovelorn heroine Ariadne to the feisty Zerbinetta—who turn theatrical chaos into art. Pairing soaring vocals with opulent melodies, this inventive "opera-within-an-opera" proves that even pandemonium can lead to something truly transcendent.
Sung in German with English surtitles
Inside Opera: Pre-show Talk with Christian Reif
Join conductor Christian Reif on the orchestra level of Morrison Theater one hour before curtain time of Ariadne auf Naxos for an insightful look into the opera. Available to all opera ticketholders on a first-come, first-served basis.
Repertoire
Richard Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos
Artists
Sponsored By
Support provided by the Adelaide Emily Lummis Fund for Opera Production and the Juliana Chyu and David Whitney Fund for Guest Artists in Opera