In English

SUNSET BOULEVARD Synopsis

Hollywood at the beginning of the 1950s. Debt-ridden screenwriter Joe Gillis is fleeing his creditors and happens to hide in the driveway of an old, dilapidated Hollywood mansion on Sunset Boulevard. There he gains access to a surrealistic world inhabited by a former star of the silent movies Norma Desmond and her butler Max von Mayerling. Norma is briefly irritated, but then grows excited to find that Joe is a screenwriter. She hires him to edit a script she has written, which is to be her triumphant comeback. Reluctantly Joe begins working on it, but doubts that it will ever reach a movie screen. At the same time he falls in love with the aspiring producer Betty Schaefer. He conceals

his infatuation from Norma, who has herself fallen in love with Joe. Norma urges the young man to move in with her and pampers him with money and gifts. Finally she takes him with her to Paramount Studios, where Joe realises that the film studio is only interested in renting her vintage car. He hides this fact from Norma as the truth would destroy her. Mayerling reveals to Joe that he is Norma’s ex-husband and her first film director, and that he writes all her fan letters himself to keep up the illusion that she is still admired all over the world. When Norma discovers Joe’s affair with Betty, she shoots him. When the police arrive, Max stages a grand finale for Norma.

RIGOLETTO Synopsis

The Duke of Mantova holds a banquet where his court jester Rigoletto makes jokes at the expense of Count Monterone, who reacts by cursing Rigoletto. Later we find out that despite Rigoletto’s attempt to protect his daughter Gilda, she has nevertheless fallen in love with the licentious Duke. The courtiers kidnap Gilda, and Rigoletto despairs. The next day, when he finds out that the Duke has had his way with Gilda, he becomes obsessed with thoughts of revenge. He therefore hires the profes

sional assassin Sparafucile to kill the Duke. Sparafucile’s sister coaxes the Duke out to a secluded tavern. However, she too is in love with the Duke and begs Sparafucile to spare his life, to which Sparafucile agrees – but only if someone knocks at the door of the tavern; then Sparafucile will kill that person instead. Gilda overhears this, and since she is still in love with the Duke, she sacrifices herself for him. Rigoletto discovers that Gilda is dead and realizes that Monterone’s curse has come to fruition.

FÊTE GALANTE Synopsis

The young Count René marries a young girl, Suzon. She has no idea that the marriage is invalid, and the contract has been signed by a drunken footman. The theatre director Scaramouche discovers the deception, and wishing to exploit the situation he gets a real notary to sign the document and offers it to Suzon – he will later demand payment for it. René admits that the wedding was invalid, but that he loves Suzon. She thinks he is just trying to test her – after all, she has just seen the authentic document. When one of René’s friends, d’Argenville, makes advances to Suzon, René challenges him

to a duel. At the same time René swears his friends to silence about the deception – but Suzon has heard everything. The King arrives on the scene, calls off the duel and demands to see the bride, to whom he has the ‘right of the first night’ on the wedding night. René hesitates, and the wife of Scaramouche is presented instead as Suzon. The King immediately falls for her – to the great chagrin of Scaramouche. Suzon reveals that she knows all about René’s trick and tears up the marriage contract. However, René manages to convince her of his now-honourable intentions, and they are reconciled.

I’LL BUILD A FINE NEW HOUSE (HER BYGGER JEG ET HUS) Synopsis

Following the success with the baby opera HjerteLyd (HeartBeat), this season contains the construction of an opera for slightly older operagoers aged 3- 6. With an old Danish children’s song “I’ll build a fine new house” as a starting point, the music merges electronic sounds and effects with live music, including both children’s songs and newly composed music.

In a playful way the child’s fantasy house materialises and takes a concrete form, until finally all children in the audience are invited to visit the fine new house.

I’ll build a fine new house, my mother can live in it. Then I’ll go walking down the street and pay my Mum a visit.

DANISH NATIONAL OPERA

Danish National Opera is Denmark’s national touring opera company. Funded by the Danish Ministry of Culture and proudly based in Aarhus, Denmark’s second city and European Capital of Culture 2017, it tours across the whole country with both traditional and innovative opera for all ages, tastes and experiences. It is a distinctive, pace-setting part of the Danish cultural scene and for decades has presented productions of the highest artistic quality. With a fulltime chorus as part of an artistic, administrative and technical staff of 60 it performs regularly with the five regional symphony orchestras.

PROFILE

Founded 1947

Based in Aarhus, second largest city in Denmark

Largest touring opera company in Denmark

General Manager and Artistic Director: Philipp Kochheim

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