Richard Strauss

Ariadne auf Naxos

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18 May - 11 July 2013
Festival 2013

The 2013 Festival opens with a new production of this compelling and intricately crafted collaboration between composer Richard Strauss and writer Hugo von Hofmannsthal. After the enormous success of Der Rosenkavalier, the two men conceived the idea of a light entertainment, a small trifle to amuse and divert the public. 

It soon became altogether more complex, subtle and ambitious, ‘something unusual and important’ as von Hofmannsthal put it, with ‘music as enchanting in the memory as anything could be; like fireworks in a beautiful park, one enchanted, all too fleeting, summer night’.

The kernel of the story is a clash between two different types of dramatic performance, as represented by a troupe of comic artists led by the irrepressible Zerbinetta, and the high seriousness of the classical myth of Ariadne; roles sung by Laura Claycomb and Soile Isokoski, both making their Glyndebourne debuts.

In Vladimir Jurowski’s final season as Music Director he will conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra in his first fully-staged Strauss opera, working with the German director Katharina Thoma, making her UK debut. 

Listen to our Ariadne auf Naxos podcast 

Download this episode (right click and save)

Musical extracts used with kind permission of EMI Classics.

Live broadcast to cinemas and online on 4 June 2013, venues and booking details are on the 'In Cinemas' tab.

A new production for the 2013 Festival
Sung in German with English supertitles

This new production is supported by a Syndicate of Donors led by Hamish and Sophie Forsyth

By kind permission of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd

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Coach Information

Dates & Times - Ariadne auf Naxos

Date Coach Departs Start Time Interval Finish Time Ticket Price Ranges
Saturday 25 May 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £100.00 - £205.00 Book Now
Thursday 30 May 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm
Please telephone the Box Office on +44 (0)1273 813813 to check for returned tickets.
Sunday 2 June 2013 2:00pm 4:35pm 5:30 - 6:50pm 8:25pm £100.00 - £205.00 Book Now
Tuesday 4 June 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £35.00 - £75.00 Book Now
Friday 7 June 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £75.00 - £150.00 Book Now
Thursday 13 June 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £165.00 - £205.00 Book Now
Sunday 16 June 2013 2:00pm 4:35pm 5:30 - 6:50pm 8:25pm £60.00 - £250.00 Book Now
Thursday 20 June 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £45.00 - £205.00 Book Now
Sunday 23 June 2013 2:00pm 4:35pm 5:30 - 6:50pm 8:25pm
Please telephone the Box Office on +44 (0)1273 813813 to check for returned tickets.
Friday 28 June 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £165.00 - £205.00 Book Now
Friday 5 July 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £165.00 - £205.00 Book Now
Thursday 11 July 2013 4:00pm 5:50pm 6:45 - 8:05pm 9:40pm £165.00 - £205.00 Book Now

Ariadne auf Naxos

Richard Strauss

Live broadcast from the 2013 Festival
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Bolton Cineworld

Tue 4 Jun 6:45pm
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Derby QUAD

Tue 4 Jun 6:45pm
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Dorchester Plaza

Tue 4 Jun 6:45pm
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Harrogate Odeon

Tue 4 Jun 6:45pm
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Hexham The Forum

Tue 4 Jun 6:45pm
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Neath Gwyn Hall

Tue 4 Jun 6:45pm
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Oswestry Kinokulture

Tue 4 Jun 6:45pm Interval:

If you are a cinema venue and are interested in screening our productions please contact screenings@glyndebourne.com

Header: 

Ariadne auf Naxos will be streamed live online on June 4 2013.

Main Content: 

Full details will be posted here in due course.

The Prologue

At a sumptuous home, two theatre troupes are preparing for their performances: a commedia dell’arte group, led by the comedienne Zerbinetta, and an opera company presenting a serious opera, Ariadne auf Naxos. The Major-domo announces that, to save time, both entertainments must be performed simultaneously.

The idealistic young Composer is loath to permit any changes to his opera. But when his teacher, the Music Master, points out that his pay depends on accepting the situation, and when Zerbinetta turns her charms upon him, he complies. When he fully realises to what he has agreed, he storms out.

Interval

The Opera

Ariadne, who has been abandoned by Theseus, laments her lost love and yearns for death. Zerbinetta and her four companions from the commedia dell’arte troupe attempt to cheer Ariadne by singing and dancing, but without success. Zerbinetta insists that the best way to cure a broken heart is to find another love. Each of the four commedia men pursues Zerbinetta.

Naiad, Dryad and Echo announce the arrival of a stranger. Ariadne assumes it is the messenger of death, but in fact it is Bacchus, who falls instantly in love with Ariadne. As Ariadne and Bacchus celebrate their love, Zerbinetta claims that she was right all along. 

Creative Team

Conductor Vladimir Jurowski
Director Katharina Thoma
Set Designer Julia Müer
Costume Designer Irina Bartels
Lighting Designer Olaf Winter
Movement Director Lucy Burge

Cast

Music Master Thomas Allen
Ariadne Soile Isokoski
Composer Kate Lindsey
Zerbinetta Laura Claycomb
Ulyana Aleksyuk (28 June; 5, 11 July)
Harlequin Dmitri Vargin
Scaramuccio James Kryshak
Truffaldino Torben Jürgens
Brighella Andrew Stenson
Bacchus Sergey Skorokhodov
Dancing Master Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke
Guy de Mey (13, 20, 23 June)
Naiad Ana Maria Labin
Dryad Adriana Di Paola
Echo Gabriela Iştoc
The Major-Domo William Relton
Lackey Frederick Long
Wigmaker Michael Wallace
Officer Stuart Jackson

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Laura Claycomb and Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
The commedia troupe in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Soile Isokoski and Thomas Allen in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke and Thomas Allen in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
William Relton in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Kate Lindsey in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Soile Isokoski and Thomas Allen in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Kate Lindsey and Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Ariadne auf Naxos
Kate Lindsey in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Kate Lindsey in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Laura Claycomb  in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair MuirLaura Claycomb  in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Ph
Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Soile Isokoski and Sergey Skorokhodov in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Soile Isokoski and Sergey Skorokhodov in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir
Soile Isokoski and Sergey Skorokhodov in Ariadne auf Naxos, Festival 2013. Photo: Alastair Muir

Rated 4* by London Evening Standard.

Rated 4* by Musical Criticism.

Rated 4* by MusicOMH.

Read an interview with director, Katharina Thoma, on the Guardian website.

Why is there a time limit?

Due to demand from other customers seats are reserved for a maximum of 20 minutes in order to allow you to complete your purchase. If the order has not been completed within this time, all seats will be removed from your basket.