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Home , Amanda Roocroft, Andrea Gruber, Andrew Kennedy (tenor), Bruno Campanella, Christopher Maltman, Darren Jeffery

THE ROYAL 2005/6 SEASON

Contents: Page

1. Introduction 2

2. 2005/6 Repertory 4

3. Vilar Young Artists 34

4. The Royal Opera 2005/6 Season Opera at a Glance 35

5. The Royal Opera Performance Dates 39

6. Press Office Contacts 41

Telephone, personal and online booking on http://www.roh.org.uk opens 28 June 2005.

Supported by Arts Council

1 Introduction to the 2005/6 Royal Opera Season – Antonio Pappano

I’m really thrilled with the unusual mix of work the new Season offers. We open with concert performances of Donizetti’s last opera, Dom Sébastien. It’s one of Donizetti’s greatest achievements and yet it’s rarely heard. It’s bigger than the Donizetti we know and love and probably sounds more Verdian to our ears, but it’s an unusual piece in that it has a significant role (Zayda) for a mezzo-soprano instead of the usual soprano – we have Vesselina Kasarova singing the part.

Piero Faggioni’s production of is an old Covent Garden favourite from the last 30 years and one I’ve always wanted to revive. It’s a piece that otherwise rarely comes up, and it deserves a renaissance. The Wild West setting seems so improbable but it works so well – we all love to see a Western, and Puccini’s music is very cinematic, brilliantly conjuring up the locale and colours of America. It’s one of his most sophisticated scores, as sophisticated, if not more so, than .

Nielsen’s Maskarade has never been done at Covent Garden, and it’s really high time we all got to know this wonderful Danish secret. I love Nielsen as a composer; here he’s written a richly romantic score around a witty 18th-century story. I’m sure will create a production full of fantasy and humour.

After the pathos of Die Walküre I’m looking forward hugely to Wagner’s , the third installment in our Ring cycle. It offers a completely different musical landscape, far lighter and quicker than the two previous parts – it’s been described as the scherzo of the four-movement symphony.

We continue our celebrations of ’s centenary with the revival of Graham Vick’s production of conducted by Richard Hickox. Tippett is as important to the House as Britten is, though Britten tends to get more publicity. This is the ideal opportunity to cast the spotlight on a composer whose work deserves a wider following.

We’ve put together a birthday package for , who this Season celebrates his 80th; on the actual day he’ll be conducting a revival of with a completely new cast, followed in the New Year by Francesca Zambello’s production of The Bartered Bride. Although Charles’s reputation is for the Czech repertory, as well as for Mozart and Handel, he conducts everything superbly.

Our chamber opera programme in the Linbury goes from strength to strength, and continues with a new production by Olivia Fuchs of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I think the way the Linbury has been able to adapt to so many different production styles has surprised everybody. It can appear rather utilitarian and industrial, but it’s so easily transformed, as productions of , Babette’s Feast and The Soldier’s Tale have proved. I’m pleased that Britten’s music is being done in this intimate venue more appropriate to the smaller piece.

Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s new production of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, with conducting, is the last part of a Rossini trilogy we put together (first and then Il turco in Italia in the 2004/5 Season). We’ve purposely teamed Il barbiere in Siviglia and the new Le nozze di Figaro because they are companion pieces in terms of their characters. Joyce DiDonato (who was so wonderful in ) sings Rosina, and Toby Spence takes on probably his biggest role at Covent Garden to date, Count Almaviva. Our new Le nozze di Figaro will be staged by David McVicar, with the wonderful Erwin Schrott (Leporello in last year’s ) returning in the title role, and we’ve reunited him with Gerald Finley as Almaviva.

2 Figaro returns later in the Season with an equally fine but different cast, this time conducted by .

We’ve put together a fantastic cast for our revival of La traviata, with the wonderful Željko Lučić singing Germont père, and the young Puerto Rican soprano Ana Maria Martinez as Violetta. We’re also reviving Verdi’s , with Yakov Kreizberg making his conducting debut, Thomas Hampson in the title role and Violeta Urmana – need I say more? I’m thrilled we’re also bringing back Keith Warner’s very successful production of Wozzeck – with a new cast, including a wonderful young baritone, Johan Reuter, as Wozzeck, and Susan Bullock as Marie. It’s an hour and 30 minutes of completely concentrated , and though it has a reputation for being rather complex, once you get into the heart of the story it’s overwhelmingly powerful, both raw and sublime.

Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin will be a total contrast. I’m happy we’re finally bringing director to Covent Garden and pairing him with conductor Philippe Jordan. We’ve also got a great cast, with as Onegin, Rolando Villazón as Lensky and Amanda Roocroft as Tatyana. We follow it in the Linbury with a new production by John Lloyd Davies of a rarely seen chamber opera, Il re pastore, which continues our homage to Mozart for the 250th anniversary of his birth. It’s conducted by the talented Edward Gardner, making his debut with us. Meanwhile, on the main stage, I have this little Götterdämmerung to deal with. It’s a tremendous release – Ring drama as grand opera – and an amazing titan of a work.

We follow it with Alfano’s Cyrano de Bergerac (a co-production with the , New York), with Plácido Domingo taking on yet another new title role. It’s rarely done, but is one of those works that needs a great singer to make a case for it. We’ve then got a fantastic double bill with Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and Schoenberg’s Erwartung, with Kirill Petrenko returning to conduct after the success of his , and Petra Lang sharing the role of Judith with Christine Rice. Albert Dohmen sings Bluebeard, and , that wonderful singing actress, the Woman in Erwartung. Both pieces have an amazing intensity although the action is very subtle. The real action’s all in the orchestra and in what is left unsaid.

I’m very excited about our new production of . Angela Gheorghiu is finally going to sing the role on stage, and we’re partnering her with Marcelo Alvarez and . The producer is Jonathan Kent, a very well-known theatre director. Then we stay in Italian mode and finish the Season with two revivals, the ever-popular Turandot and Jonathan Miller’s ‘dolls house’ (this time with Alessandro Corbelli in the title role).

Antonio Pappano Music Director, The Royal Opera 20 April 2005

3 The Royal Opera 2005/6 Repertory

DOM SÉBASTIEN – in concert (Gaetano Donizetti)

10 September at 6.30pm / 13 September at 7pm

Following the success of Ponchielli’s in September 2004, The Royal Opera once again begins its new Season with concert performances of a rarely performed Italian opera. Donizetti’s last opera Dom Sébastian, which has never been performed at Covent Garden, will be sung in French and will be the first time the critical edition of this opera will be heard in the UK.

Mark Elder conducts the first of three this Season. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1976 conducting . He has conducted over ten operas at the , including , , , La Cenerentola and Turandot. He collaborated on a film on the life and work of Donizetti which was broadcast in Germany in 1996.

Italian tenor sings the title role of Dom Sébastien. He made his debut in the role in 1998 in Bologna. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 2000 singing the role of Alfredo (La traviata), a role to which he returned to Covent Garden to sing again in 2001. Recent roles include the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto) in and Alfredo (La traviata) in Florence.

Bulgarian mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova makes her role debut singing Zayda. She made her debut with The Royal Opera as Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia) in 1993 and her roles with the Company have included the title role in La Cenerentola and Sesto ().

Italian baritone , renowned for both his Verdi and Donizetti roles, sings the role of Camoëns. He made his operatic debut in 1961 as Count di Luna () in Spoleto and made his debut at Covent Garden in 1976 as Anckarström (Un ballo in maschera). His roles at Covent Garden include the title roles in Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra and as well as Iago (), Miller (), Giorgio Germont (La traviata) and Rodrigo (). He has previously sung the role of Camoëns in concert in the Italian version in Reggio Calabria and Bari.

British baritone Simon Keenlyside sings the role of Abayaldos for the first time. He made his debut at Covent Garden as Silvio in in 1989. His roles for The Royal Opera include the title roles in Don Giovanni, and and, more recently, Prospero (The Tempest), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Valentin () and Winston in the world premiere of 1984.

British Alastair Miles sings the role of Dom Juam de Sylva. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1988 as Knight of the Grail (Parsifal) and subsequent roles with the Company include Don Fernando (), Sparafucile (Rigoletto), Lorenzo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Alidoro (La Cenerentola) and Banquo (Macbeth). He previously sang the role of Ivano in Donizetti’s Elisabetta in concert performances for The Royal Opera in 1997.

Canadian-born bass Robert Gleadow, new to the Vilar Young Artists Programme in September 2005, sings the role of Dom Henrique. He was previously a member of the Ensemble Studio.

Martyn Hill makes his role debut as Dom Luis. He made his Royal Opera debut in 2002 as Pong (Turandot) and his roles with The Royal Opera include Moser (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and Goro (Madama Butterfly).

4

Both British tenor John Upperton and British bass-baritone Andrew Slater make their Royal Opera House debuts as Dom Antonio/First Inquisitor and Ben-Selim respectively.

Dom Sébastien will be recorded by for future release.

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

15, 21, 28 September at 7pm / 18 September at 6pm / 24 September, 1 October at 6.30pm

Supported (2005) by The Jean Sainsbury Royal Opera House Fund

One of the most celebrated productions of The Royal Opera’s repertory returns to Covent Garden – Piero Faggioni’s production of Puccini’s La fanciulla del West - which was first seen at the Royal Opera House in 1977, with Carol Neblett as Minnie, Plácido Domingo as Dick Johnson, Silvano Carroli as Jack Rance, conducted by . It was last heard at the Royal Opera House over ten years ago in 1994 with Gwyneth Jones (Minnie), Nicola Martinucci (Dick Johnson) and Justino Diaz (Jack Rance).

Piero Faggioni returns to direct his production which has been recently refurbished. He is also the costume and lighting designer for this production. He was Principal Guest Producer with The Royal Opera from 1988 to 1990 and also directed Il trovatore for The Royal Opera in 1989.

Set designs are by Berlin-born Kenneth Adam. He was production designer on many films including numrous James Bond films such as Dr No and Goldfinger. His other film credits include The Ipcress File, Barry Lyndon, Sleuth and The Freshman.

Antonio Pappano, now in his fourth Season as Music Director of The Royal Opera, conducts the opening production of the 2005/6 Season. He returns to the Puccini repertory later in the Season when he conducts a new production of Tosca.

American soprano Andrea Gruber sings the role of Minnie for the first time at the Royal Opera House. She made her debut in the role of Minnie in this production in Genoa in April 2005. Her debut with The Royal Opera was in the title role in in 1996 and she returned in the title role in Turandot in January 2005.

Argentinian tenor José Cura sings the role of Dick Johnson at the Royal Opera House for the first time. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in the title role of Stiffelio in 1995. His roles with the Company have included the title roles in Otello, Andrea Chénier (in concert), Samson (Samson et Dalila), Cavaradossi (Tosca), Ipanov (Fedora) and Manrico (Il trovatore). He has previously sung the role of Dick Johnson in Zürich in 2004.

American baritone Mark Delavan makes his debut with The Royal Opera singing the role of the sheriff Jack Rance. His recent roles include Scarpia (Tosca) in San Francisco and at the Metropolitan Opera New York, the title role of Sweeney Todd ( Opera), the title role of at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and the title role of Simon Boccanegra (Santa Fe Opera). In the UK he has sung the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth at the Edinburgh Festival in 2003.

Samoan born New Zealand bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu sings the role of Jake Wallace. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 2003 as Zoroastro (Orlando) and returns to sing the

5 role of Colline (La bohème) in June 2005. Recent roles include Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) with Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the title role in Le nozze di Figaro in .

British baritone Mark Stone, currently a member of , makes his debut with The Royal Opera singing the role of Sonora. Recent roles include the title role in Don Giovanni and Figaro () at ENO.

Two members of the cast return to the roles they created in the original production in 1977: Robert Lloyd returns to the role of Ashby and Francis Egerton returns to the role of Nick. Robert Lloyd made his debut at Covent Garden in 1972 in Khovanshchina. He was appointed Senior Artist with The Royal Opera in 2004. His recent roles with the Company include Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Old Man (The Greek Passion), Rambaldo Fernandez (La rondine) and Commendatore (Don Giovanni).

Francis Egerton sang the role of Nick not only in the original production, but in every subsequent revival. This is the first of four appearances this Season. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1971 as Osric (Hamlet). Recent roles include Emperor Altoum (Turandot), Schoolmaster (The Greek Passion) and Half-wit (Wozzeck).

Two former Vilar Young Artists join the cast, Australian baritone as Bello and Australian tenor Hubert Francis as Trin. Grant Doyle’s roles with The Royal Opera since leaving the Vilar Young Artists Programme include Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia), Harlequin (). He will sing the role of Schaunard (La bohème) during the 2004/5 Season. This is Hubert Francis’s second role at the Royal Opera House since leaving the Programme, his other roles were Brühlmann (), Spoletta (Tosca) and Male Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia).

Adrian Clarke returns to the role of Sid, having sung the role in the last revival in 1994. The role of Joe is sung by Harry Nicoll whose recent roles at Covent Garden include Major Domo () and Goro (Madama Butterfly). The role of Billy Jackrabbit is sung by Graeme Danby, who recently sang the role of Marquis D’Obigny (La traviata) for The Royal Opera as well as Charrington in the world premiere of 1984.

Former Company Principal Graeme Broadbent sings the role of Larkens. He made his Royal Opera debut in 1997 and his recent roles include Angelotti (Tosca), Doctor Grenvil (La traviata) Horatio (Hamlet) and Pietro (Simon Boccanegra).

Company Principal Jeremy White sings the role of José Castro. His many roles with the Company include Truffaldino (Ariadne auf Naxos), Badger (The Cunning Little Vixen), Sacristan (Tosca), Kecal (The Bartered Bride) and Parsons (1984).

Vilar Young Artist Robert Murray sings the role of Harry and New Zealand baritone Jared Holt, a former Vilar Young Artist, sings the role of Happy.

6 MASKARADE Carl Nielsen

NEW PRODUCTION

19♥, 22, 26♥, 30 September, 5, 13 October at 7.30pm / 8 October at 7pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

Co-production with the Bregenz Festival Opens at the Bregenz Festival 21 July 2005 (sung in German)

Nielsen’s second opera, one of the most successful Danish operas, is heard at Covent Garden for the first time. Maskarade, written in 1906, will be sung in a new English translation by David Pountney who returns to direct this production. He previously directed The Greek Passion for The Royal Opera in 2000 and 2004, which was also a co-production with the Bregenz Festival.

Set designs are by Johan Engels. His recent projects include Die Zauberflöte for the Vienna Volksopera, Troilus and Cressida with Terry Hands for Theatre Clwyd and Showboat for Cape Town, Oslo and Nuremberg. Costumes designs are by Marie-Jeanne Lecca who previously worked with David Pountney on The Greek Passion. Lighting is by Wolfgang Göbbel and choreography by Renato Zanella.

Michael Schønwandt, one of the leading exponents of Nielsen’s music, returns to the Royal Opera House to conduct these performances of Maskarade. He is currently Music Director at the Royal Danish Theatre and has previously conducted Maskarade for the Royal Danish Theatre in 1998, 1999 and 2000. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1984 conducting I Capuleti e i Montecchi and has also conducted Tosca, Werther and Madama Butterfly for The Royal Opera.

German Canadian tenor Michael Schade makes his Royal Opera debut in the role of Leander, also marking his debut in the role. Recent roles include Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) in Washington and Salzburg (2005), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), the title role in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Leukippos () in Vienna.

British soprano Emma Bell makes both her Royal Opera House and role debut as Leonora. Her recent roles include the the title role in with the Komische Oper, Berlin, the title role in Rodelinda at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Vitellia (La clemenza di Tito) at ENO.

American bass-baritone John Del Carlo makes his debut at Covent Garden singing the role of Jeronimus for the first time. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1999 singing the role of Baron Kelbar (Un giorno di regno) in concert at the Royal Festival Hall. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 1993 as Kothner (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and his roles there have included Colonel Frank (Die Fledermaus) and Baron Zeta ().

American bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen returns to the Royal Opera House to sing the role of Henrik for the first time. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 2005 in the role of Speaker of the Temple (Die Zauberflöte). Recent roles include Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) for New York City Opera, Escamillo () in St Louis and Washington and Masetto (Don Giovanni) in Chicago.

7 Norwegian mezzo-soprano Kari Hamnøy sings Magdelone, a role she has previously sung in Copenhagen with the Royal Danish Opera. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 2004 as Annina (Der Rosenkavalier). She has been a member of the Royal Danish Opera for the past ten years, and her roles there have included Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) and Clariss (The Love of Three Oranges).

British tenor Adrian Thompson sings the role of Arv, which he will also sing at the Bregenz Festival in July 2005. His roles for The Royal Opera include Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte) and Valzacchi (Der Rosenkavalier).

British tenor Robin Leggate sings the role of Leonard. A former Company Principal, he made his debut at Covent Garden in 1977. Recent roles with The Royal Opera include Pang (Turandot), Chekalinksy (The Queen of Spades) and Spalazani (Les Contes d’Hoffmann).

Eight of the smaller roles including Nightwatchman, Constable and Doctor Mors are combined into one role which is sung by British bass Brindley Sherratt. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 2002 as Plutone (L’anima del filosofo). His other roles for The Royal Opera include Publio (La clemenza di Tito), Nikitich (Boris Godunov) and Marquis of Calatrava ().

SIEGFRIED

NEW PRODUCTION

2 October at 3pm / 7, 10♥, 14, 18 October at 5pm / 22 October at 4pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

Ring Cycle Production Sponsor (2005) The Dalriada Trust Peter Borender (Benefactors’ Circle 2005) The Hobson Charity (Benefactors’ Circle 2005)

The Royal Opera’s new Ring cycle, directed by Keith Warner, continues with the final two parts Siegfried and Götterdämmerung being mounted during the 2005/6 Season. The complete cycle will be staged in October 2007.

British stage director Keith Warner made his Royal Opera House debut in 2002 when he directed Wozzeck, which won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production. He has previously directed a Ring cycle at the New National Theatre, Tokyo. Other Wagnerian assignments he has staged include Lohengrin (), Der fliegende Höllander (Flanders Opera and Portland), Tannhäuser (New Sussex Opera) and ( and Bochum). Matthias von Stegmann is the Associate Director.

Born in Ethiopia of Greek parentage, , who collaborated with Keith Warner on Wozzeck in 2002, designs the sets for Siegfried. His previous designs for The Royal Opera include Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and , and for El amor brujo and Knight Errant. He has worked with Keith Warner on a number of projects, including Lohengrin at Bayreuth.

8 Romanian designer Marie-Jeanne Lecca will design the costumes for Siegfried. She previously worked with Keith Warner and Stefanos Lazaridis on Wozzeck and The Greek Passion. Recent projects include West Side Story (Bregenz) and Guillaume Tell (Paris). Lighting is by Wolfgang Göbbel, whose recent work with The Royal Opera includes The Tempest, Orlando and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera, continues with the cycle, having conducted both and Die Walküre last Season. He has previously conducted Siegfried at the in 1993 when he replaced Christoph von Dohnányi at the last minute in a new production, for which he received unanimous acclaim.

British-born tenor John Treleaven sings the role of Siegfried. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1979 and returned to sing the role of Froh (Das Rheingold) in 1980 and again in 1982. He sang the role of Siegfried for the first time in Götterdämmerung in 2000 and since then has sung the role in Chicago, at the Vienna State Opera, in Barcelona, Helsinki and also in Tokyo (in Keith Warner’s production). His roles during the 2004/5 season also include the title roles in Tristan in Frankfurt and Lohengrin in Hamburg.

German tenor Gerhard Siegel returns to the role of Mime, having made his debut at the Royal Opera House in the role in Das Rheingold in December 2004. Since 1999 he has been a guest member of Nuremberg Opera where his many roles have included Mime, Walther von Stolzing (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Mefistofele in Busoni’s Faust, Florestan (Fidelio) and the title roles in Parsifal and Siegfried. He has recently performed Mime in Cologne and the New National Theatre, Tokyo. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera , in the role of Mime, and makes his debut at the Bayreuth Festival in the role in 2006.

Renowned Wagnerian John Tomlinson returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of Wanderer. He first sang the role of Wotan in at Covent Garden in 1991 and repeated the role in 1994 and 1996 as well as in concert performances with The Royal Opera in 1998. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1977 and his roles at the Royal Opera House have included Hans Sachs (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Gurnemanz (Parsifal) and the Green Knight (Gawain). More recent roles include Boris Ismailov (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), the title role in Boris Godunov and Méphistophélès (Faust).

The role of Brünnhilde will be sung once again by Australian soprano . After making her debut at Covent Garden singing Isolde (Tristan und Isolde) in 2002, she returned to sing the title role in in 2003 and sang her first Brünnhilde for Covent Garden in Die Walküre in 2005. She made her role debut as Brünnhilde in Siegfried in Stuttgart and sang her first complete Ring cycle in 2001 in Meiningen. She sang the role of Sieglinde (Die Walküre) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 2004.

Egyptian-born baritone Peter Sidhom sings the role of Alberich with The Royal Opera for the first time. He has previously sung the role of Alberich for , , Toulouse Opera and also in concert with the under Dohnányi in the USA in 2002. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1993 singing Schaunard (La bohème) and his roles with The Royal Opera have included Donner (Das Rheingold), Capulet (Roméo et Juliette), Paolo Albiani (Simon Boccanegra), Scarpia (Tosca) and Grigoris (The Greek Passion).

Canadian bass Phillip Ens returns to the role of Fafner, having sung the role in Das Rheingold in the 2004/5 Season. He has previously sung the role in Stuttgart in 1999. He has also sung the role of Hunding (Die Walküre) in Stuttgart in 1999, Metropolitan Opera 2000, Chicago 2002 and Madrid 2003. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 2003 as Wurm in Luisa Miller.

9 American mezzo-soprano Jane Henschel returns to the role of Erda which she also sang in this production of Das Rheingold in December 2004. Her Royal Opera debut was in 1992 as the Nurse in and she has subsequently returned as Madame Arvidson (Un ballo in maschera), Fricka (Die Walküre), Waltraute (Götterdämmerung), Klytemnestra (Elektra), Mrs Grose (The Turn of the Screw) and Gaea (Daphne) in concert.

The role of Woodbird is sung by British soprano Sarah Fox. She made her debut at Covent Garden in the role of Frantik (The Cunning Little Vixen) in 2003 and recently sang the role of Woglinde (Das Rheingold) during the 2004/5 Season. Other recent roles include Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) for Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the Royal Danish Opera and Ilia (Idomeneo) for Flanders Opera.

THE MIDSUMMER MARRIAGE Michael Tippett

31♥ October, 3, 8, 11, 16, 18 November at 6.30pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

The Royal Opera celebrates the centenary of Sir Michael Tippett’s birth with performances of The Midsummer Marriage, his first opera, which received its world premiere at Covent Garden on 27 January 1955.

The Midsummer Marriage has received three new productions at the Royal Opera House, the second one in 1968, and the last one Graham Vick’s production with designs by Paul Brown, choreography by Ron Howell and lighting by Wolfgang Göbbel in 1996.

Richard Hickox, a leading exponent of British music, returns to the Royal Opera House to conduct. He conducts The Midsummer Marriage for the first time at St Endellion Music Festival in Cornwall in August 2005. He has previously conducted Paul Bunyan, Billy Budd, Orfeo ed Euridice and Les Contes d’Hoffmann at Covent Garden and will conduct Mitridate, re di Ponto in July 2005. He is currently Music Director at .

German tenor Will Hartmann sings the role of Mark for the first time. He made his debut with The Royal Opera, as a baritone, in 1998 singing Da-Ud (Die ägyptische Helena) and went on to sing the title role in Harrison Birtwistle’s opera Gawain. His more recent roles at Covent Garden include Macduff (Macbeth), Froh (Das Rheingold) and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte).

British soprano Amanda Roocroft makes her role debut as Jenifer. She made her debut at Covent Garden in 1991 as Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) and her roles with The Royal Opera include Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Eva (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Desdemona (Otello), Mimì (La bohème), Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) as well as Cleopatra () and the title role in Kát’a Kabanová.

Danish soprano Inger Dam-Jensen makes her role debut as Bella. She made her debut at Covent Garden in 1996 as Blonde (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and her roles with The Royal Opera include Despina (Così fan tutte) and Lisa (La sonnambula).

The role of Jack will be sung by Canadian tenor Gordon Gietz, marking his debut in the role. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House singing the role of Stingo in the world premiere of Sophie’s Choice in 2003. Recent roles he has added to his repertory include the title role in

10 Les Contes d’Hoffmann in Marseille and Don José (Carmen) with L’Opéra Montréal, which he sings in May 2005.

In his second appearance of the Season, British bass John Tomlinson returns to the role of King Fisher, which he sang for the first time in this production in 1996. His British repertory at the Royal Opera House includes John Claggart (Billy Budd) and Green Knight (Gawain) which he has sung in 1991, 1994 and 2000.

Russian mezzo-soprano Elena Manistina makes her Royal Opera House debut singing the role of Sosostris. She made her operatic debut as Marfa in Khovanshina in Moscow. Recent roles also include Ulrica (Un ballo in maschera) and Countess (Pique Dame) for Washington Opera and Amelfa (Le coq d’or) in Paris and Moscow.

British bass Brindley Sherratt sings the role of He-Ancient. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 2002 as Plutone (L’anima del filosofo). He made his debut at the Salzburg Easter Festival as Hobson () this year, and forthcoming roles include Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte) for WNO.

British mezzo-soprano Diana Montague sings the role of She-Ancient for the first time. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House as Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) in 1978 and her most recent roles with The Royal Opera include Magdalene (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Háta (The Bartered Bride) and Meg Page (Falstaff).

The world premiere of The Midsummer Marriage in 1955 was conducted by John Pritchard, directed by Christopher West and designed by Barbara Hepworth with choreography by John Cranko. sang the role of Jenifer and Richard Lewis sang the role of Mark. The production was revived in 1957. In 1968 Colin Davis conducted a new production by Ande Anderson, designed by Tony Walton with choreography by Gillian Lynne. This production was revived in 1970.

The Royal Opera has had a strong association with the music of Michael Tippett. received its premiere at Covent Garden in 1962, following the world premiere in Coventry earlier the same year. It was revived in 1967, 1972, 1975 and 1985. The Knot Garden was commissioned by The Royal Opera and received its world premiere in 1970 and revived in 1972. A new production followed in 1988, and another new production in collaboration with takes place in the Linbury in spring 2005. The Ice Break was also commissioned by The Royal Opera and received its world premiere in 1977 and was revived in 1979.

UN BALLO IN MASCHERA

17, 21♥, 25, 29 November, 3, 7, 13, 16 December at 7pm / 10 December at 6.30pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

Production sponsored (2005) by Lehman Brothers

Co-production with Houston Grand Opera and , Madrid

11 Mario Martone’s production of the Boston setting of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, which opened in April 2005, returns for its first revival. His other opera productions include Oedipus rex (Syracuse), Così fan tutte (Naples, Ferrara), (Palermo), Don Giovanni (Naples - winner of Best Performance and Opera Production of the Year 2002 award, ‘L’Opera’ magazine) and Matilde di Shabran (Rossini Opera Festival, Pesaro).

Sets for this production are by Sergio Tramonti with costumes by Bruno Schwengl and lighting by Cesare Accetta. Choreography and movement is by Duncan Macfarland.

Charles Mackerras celebrates his 80th birthday on 17 November conducting the first night of nine performances of this production that he will conduct. He made his Royal Opera debut conducting Katerina Ismailova in 1964, having first conducted the Ballet Company at Covent Garden in 1955. Most recently he has conducted Die Entführung aus dem Serail, The Bartered Bride, Don Giovanni, Der Rosenkavalier, The Greek Passion and Die Zauberflöte for The Royal Opera.

The role of Riccardo is shared between Canadian tenor Richard Margison and Albanian tenor Giuseppe Gipali. Richard Margison made his debut at Covent Garden in 1992 as Cavaradossi (Tosca). His other roles for The Royal Opera have included Don José (Carmen), Faust (Mefistofele), Calaf (Turandot), Tenor/Bacchus (Ariadne auf Naxos) and he sings the role of O’ Brien in 1984 in May 2005. He first sang Riccardo with ENO in 1989 and has also sung the role in Munich, San Francisco and Chicago.

Giuseppe Gipali makes his debut at Covent Garden in the role of Riccardo. He has previously sung the role in Bologna and also in Israel. Recent roles include Manrico (Il trovatore) in Verona, Rodolfo (La bohème) in Toronto, Ruggero (La rondine) in Toulouse and Cavaradossi (Tosca) in Marseille.

Swedish soprano Nina Stemme makes her Royal Opera and role debut as Amelia. Recent highlights include her first Isolde (Tristan und Isolde) for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, repeating the role for the Royal Opera, Marie (Wozzeck) for Lyon and her first Marschallin (Der Rosenkavalier) at Göteborg Opera, repeating the role in Zürich.

Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings the role of Renato. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1992 as Riccardo (I puritani) and his roles for The Royal Opera have included Prince Yeletsky (The Queen of Spades), Giorgio Germont (La traviata), Count di Luna (Il trovatore), Francesco (I masnadieri) and Silvio (Pagliacci). He has previously sung the role of Renato in Chicago in 2003. He returns later in the Season to sing the title role in Eugene Onegin.

American mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe makes her role debut as Ulrica. A former Richard Tucker award winner (in 1999), she made her debut at the Royal Opera House in 2003 singing Mistress Quickly in Falstaff. She returned to Covent Garden later in 2003 to sing the roles of Ino/June in Semele.

Welsh-born soprano Rosemary Joshua sings the role of Oscar, a role she previously sang at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 2002. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House in 1994 as Poussette (Manon). Her roles for The Royal Opera include Woglinde and Woodbird (The Ring) and, most recently, Zerlina (Don Giovanni).

British bass Matthew Rose, a former member of the Vilar Young Artists Programme, returns to sing the role of Tom, having sung the role in the original production in April. His roles at Covent Garden have included Jonas Fogg (Sweeney Todd), Schlemil (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia), Wagner (Faust), Sciarrone (Tosca) and Un barnabotto (La Gioconda).

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Another former member from the Vilar Young Artists Programme returns to repeat the role of Silvano - New Zealand baritone Jared Holt. His recent roles at Covent Garden include Ping (Turandot), Crébillon (La rondine) and Wigmaker (Ariadne auf Naxos).

Following his Royal Opera House concert debut in Dom Sébastien earlier in the Season, Canadian bass Robert Gleadow now makes his stage debut at Covent Garden in the role of Sam.

Also new to the Vilar Young Artists Programme in 2005 is Swedish tenor Nikola Matisic who makes his Royal Opera debut singing the role of the Judge. He studied at the and the Royal Conservatory, The Hague. His operatic roles have included Scaramuccio (Ariadne auf Naxos) with Szeged Opera in Hungary and Tjekalinskij (Pique-Dame).

The cast is completed with The Royal Opera Chorus member Neil Gillespie singing the role of Amelia’s Servant.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

NEW PRODUCTION FOR ROH2 LINBURY STUDIO THEATRE

Generously supported (2005) by Oak Foundation

25, 27, 28, 30 November, 2, 3 December, time to be announced.

This new production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is directed by London- born Olivia Fuchs who is working for the Royal Opera for the first time. Olivia first worked at Covent Garden in 2003, when she directed Wolf’s Italian Songbook (Das Italienische Liederbuch) For the Vilar Young Artists Programme). Her recent productions include Cherivichki at Garsington, Rusalka and Don Giovanni at Opera North, and Fidelio and Luisa Miller for Opera Holland Park. Designs are by Nicky Turner, lighting by Bruno Poet and choreography by Mandy Demetriou.

Richard Hickox returns to conduct his second British opera of the Season, having also conducted Tippett’s The Midsummer Marriage. He has previously conducted Paul Bunyan, Billy Budd, Orfeo ed Euridice and Les Contes d’Hoffmann for The Royal Opera and will also conduct Mitridate, re di Ponto in July 2005.

The cast includes a wealth of young talented singers, a number of whom are current and former Vilar Young Artists.

English counter-tenor William Towers sings the role of Oberon, a role he has previously sung for the Aldeburgh Festival and also at , Venice in 2004. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 2003 singing the role of Medoro (Orlando).

Canadian soprano makes her Royal Opera debut singing the role of Titania. Her roles have included Amor (Orfeo ed Euridice) and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte) for Scottish Opera, soprano soloist (St John Passion) and Nannetta (Falstaff) at ENO.

The four lovers are sung by Tove Dahlberg (Hermia), Katie Van Kooten (Helena), Robert Murray (Lysander) and Grant Doyle (Demetrius).

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Swedish mezzo-soprano Tove Dahlberg made her debut at Covent Garden as a Vilar Young Artist singing Laura (Luisa Miller) in April 2003. Her recent roles include Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande) and the title role Miss Boesmans for .

American soprano Katie Van Kooten, a current member of the Vilar Young Artists Programme, made her highly successful stage debut at Covent Garden as Magda (La rondine) in November 2004. She has also sung Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) and Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) for The Royal Opera.

Vilar Young Artist Robert Murray made his debut at Covent Garden as Gastone (La traviata) in 2005 and recently sang the role of Tamino (Die Zauberflöte).

Australian baritone Grant Doyle made his debut as a Vilar Young Artist at Covent Garden in 2002 as Steersman (Tristan and Isolde). Recent roles for The Royal Opera include Harlequin (Ariadne auf Naxos) and Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia).

The Rustics are led by former Vilar Young Artist Darren Jeffery singing the role of Bottom for the first time. Recent roles with The Royal Opera include Masetto (Don Giovanni), Johann (Werther) and Baron Douphol (La traviata). British bass-baritone Jonathan Best, who made his debut at Covent Garden in 1989 (Flemish Deputy in Don Carlo), sings the role of Quince. Former Vilar Young Artist will return to his first role at Covent Garden since leaving the Programme (July 2005) to sing the role of Flute. Vilar Young Artist New Zealand tenor Andrew Sritheran makes his debut with The Royal Opera singing the role of Snout. He was a member of the National Opera Studio in London during 2003/4 and has been supported by the Peter Moores Foundation. British baritone Andrew Mayor makes his Royal Opera debut singing the role of Starveling. Company Principal Jeremy White sings the role of Snug. His many roles for The Royal Opera include Truffaldino (Ariadne auf Naxos), Badger (The Cunning Little Vixen) Marquis D’Obigny (La traviata), Kecal (The Bartered Bride) and Parsons (1984).

British bass Mark Beesley, a former Company Principal with The Royal Opera, returns to sing the role of Theseus, a role he sang recently at La Fenice, Venice, and has also sung at the Aix-en- Provence Festival. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1989 and his last appearance with the Company was in 1998 as Doctor Grenvil (La traviata). More recent roles include Zuniga (Carmen) for Glyndebourne Touring Opera and Daland (Der fliegende Holländer) with Opera Zuid.

Vilar Young Artist Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Liora Grodnikaite sings Hippolyta. She made her Royal Opera House debut as Curra (La forza del destino) and her roles for The Royal Opera have included Flosshilde (Das Rheingold) and Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly).

A Midsummer Night’s Dream was first performed at Covent Garden in 1961, produced by John Gielgud and conducted by George Solti. The cast included Joan Carlyle and . The production was seen again in 1964, staged by John Copley and received further performances in 1974, 1976, 1984. It was last seen at the Royal Opera House in 1986.

14 IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA

NEW PRODUCTION

19, 30 December, 4, 11, 18 January at 7.30pm / 21 December at 1pm / 1 January at 3pm / 7, 14 January at 7pm

Supported (2005) by the Royal Opera House Endowment Fund

Il barbiere di Siviglia is the fourth new production of the Season and is directed by Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier. Set designs are by Christian Fenouillat, costume designs by Agostino Cavalca and lighting by Christophe Forey. The same team has previously created two Rossini operas for Covent Garden: La Cenerentola in 2000 and Il turco in Italia in 2005. They also created Madama Butterfly and Hamlet in 2003 for The Royal Opera.

Mark Elder returns for his second appearance this Season. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1976 conducting Rigoletto and has conducted over ten operas with The Royal Opera, including more recently Simon Boccanegra, Lohengrin, Attila and Turandot. He also worked with Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier on the new production of La Cenerentola at Covent Garden in 2000. Vilar Young Artist Rory Macdonald will conduct one performance on 18 January.

Romanian baritone George Petean sings Figaro. He has previously sung the role in Cluj with Romanian Opera and he made his German debut in the role in Frankfurt. He has also sung the role in Wiesbaden and Vienna. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House as Silvio (Pagliacci) in 2003.

American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato sings the role of Rosina. She has previously sung the role with Paris Opera, at San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera and at the New National Theatre in Tokyo. She will also sing the role in the Pesaro Festival in 2005. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 2003 singing the role of Fox in The Cunning Little Vixen.

British tenor Toby Spence sings the role of Count Almaviva. He has previously sung the role with ENO in 2001. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House singing the role of Ovando (Alzira) in concert in 1996. His other roles for The Royal Opera include Simpleton (Boris Godunov) and Ferdinand in the world premiere of Thomas Adès’ The Tempest.

Italian bass-baritone Bruno Praticò sings the role of Doctor Bartolo. He has sung the role numerous times including for Netherlands Opera, Amsterdam, Baltimore, Madrid, Munich, Paris and at the Arena di Verona. He made his Royal Opera House debut singing Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola) in 2001.

American bass Raymond Aceto makes his Royal Opera House debut singing Don Basilio. He has previously sung the role for the in 2001. Recent roles include Ramfis (Aida) in Vienna, Fafner (Das Rheingold) in Chicago and Zaccaria (Nabucco) at the Metropolitan Opera.

Il barbiere di Siviglia was first performed in London in 1818 and was performed in English. The first time it was heard at Covent Garden in Italian was in 1834. It was staged by the Covent Garden Opera Company in 1960 conducted by Giulini with Teresa Berganza and Luigi Alva. This production was last revived in 1979. The next new production was by Michael Hampe in

15 1985 which received its final revival in 1993. The Royal Opera last performed Il barbiere di Siviglia in a new production by Nigel Lowery at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1998.

THE BARTERED BRIDE Bedřich Smetana

6, 9, 12, 17, 20 January at 7.30pm / 14 January at 12.30pm

Revival supported (2005) by The Friends of Covent Garden

Francesco Zambello’s production of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride returns to Covent Garden for its second revival. The production was first seen at Sadler’s Wells in 1998 and was revived at the Royal Opera House in 2001. Designs are by Alison Chitty, lighting by Wolfgang Göbbel and choreography by Denni Sayers. The opera will be sung in the English translation by Kit Hesketh Harvey.

Continuing his 80th birthday celebrations, Charles Mackerras now returns to the Czech repertory and conducts this production as he did in the 2001 revival. His recording of The Bartered Bride will be released by Chandos in October 2005. Charles Mackerras made his Royal Opera debut conducting Katerina Ismailova in 1964, having first conducted the Ballet Company at Covent Garden in 1955. Most recently he has conducted Die Entführung aus dem Serail, The Bartered Bride, Don Giovanni, Der Rosenkavalier and Die Zauberflöte for The Royal Opera. This is his second appearance of the Season, having conducted Un ballo in maschera in November.

British soprano Susan Gritton returns to the role of Mařenka which she sang at Covent Garden in 2001. She made her debut with The Royal Opera as Clarine and Thalie in Rameau’s Platée in 1997 and her roles with the Company include Flowermaiden (Parsifal), Tiny (Paul Bunyan) and Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice) in concert.

New Zealand tenor Simon O’Neill makes his debut at the Royal Opera House in the role of Jeník. Recent roles include Dmitri (Boris Gudunov) with New Zealand Opera, Rodolfo (La bohème) for San Francisco Merola Opera and Chairman Mao (Nixon in China) with Minnesota Opera.

The role of the marriage broker Kecal is sung by British bass Peter Rose. He has previously sung the role for Lyric Opera of Chicago. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1988 as Lord Rochefort (Anna Bolena) and his subsequent roles with the Company include Timur (Turandot), King Mark (Tristan und Isolde), Fasolt (Das Rheingold) and Cadmus/Somnus (Semele). Company Principal Jeremy White sings the role for one performance on 14 January, having sung the role for The Royal Opera in 2001.

Returning to the role of Vašek is British tenor Timothy Robinson. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1995 and his roles with The Royal Opera have included Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Jupiter (Semele), Kudryash (Kāt’a Kabanová), Froh (Das Rheingold), Yannakos (The Greek Passion), Sailor (Tristan und Isolde), Scaramuccio (Ariadne auf Naxos) and the Novice (Billy Budd).

British soprano Yvette Bonner returns to the role of Esmerelda which she sung with The Royal Opera in December 1998. She made her Royal Opera debut as Hermione (Die ägyptische Helena) in concert in 1998. She recently sang the role of Philippa in Babette’s Feast in the Linbury.

16 The role of Krušina is sung by Donald Maxwell. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1987 and his roles have included Baron Zeta (The Merry Widow), Dr Bartolo (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and Faninal (Der Rosenkavalier).

British mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley sings the role of Ludmila for the first time. She made her debut at Covent in 1991 singing Fyodor (Boris Godunov) and returned last Season to sing the role of Aksinya (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk). Recent roles include Cassandra (The Trojans) at ENO, Florence Pike () for Opera North and Maria Thins (Writing to Vermeer) for Netherlands Opera.

The role of Mícha is a role debut for British bass-baritone Jonathan Best in his second role of the Season with The Royal Opera (having sung Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream). His roles at Covent Garden have included Flemish Deputy (Don Carlo), Schwarz (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and Bass/He and Grimbald (King Arthur).

British mezzo-soprano Carole Wilson sings the role of Háta for the first time having sung the role of Ludmila for Opera North’s production of The Bartered Bride. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 2001 singing the Mayor’s Wife (Jenůfa) and returned most recently to sing the role of Aksinya (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk) for one performance in 2004.

Returning to the role of Ringmaster which he created in this production in 1998 is Welsh tenor Robert Tear. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1970 singing the role of Dov (The Knot Garden). He has sung over 50 roles with The Royal Opera, including most recently Beadle (Sweeney Todd), Dr Caius (Falstaff), Spalanzani (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) and Arthur (Gawain).

English baritone Eddie Wade sings the role of Indian. His roles for The Royal Opera include Mandarin (Turandot) and Baron Douphol (La traviata).

LA TRAVIATA Giuseppe Verdi

16, 19, 21, 24, 27, 30 January at 7pm

Verdi’s La traviata once again returns to the Royal Opera House in Richard Eyre’s acclaimed production which opened in 1994. Designs are by Bob Crowley with lighting by Jean Kalman. Jane Gibson is the Director of Movement.

Renowned Verdi conductor Edward Downes returns to conduct La traviata which he last conducted for The Royal Opera in 2001. He has conducted at Covent Garden for over 50 years. The many Verdi operas he has conducted for The Royal Opera include, most recently, Rigoletto, Il trovatore and I masnadieri, as well as Macbeth, Un ballo in maschera, Stiffelio, Aida, Attila, Otello and Simon Boccanegra.

Puerto Rican soprano Ana Maria Martinez returns to the role of Violetta, having sung the role at Covent Garden in January 2005. She has also sung the role of Violetta in Vienna and Berlin. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House as Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) in 2002. Recent roles include Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) in Santa Fe and debuts at San Francisco Opera as Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) and at the Semper Oper, Dresden, as Mimì (La bohème).

American tenor Charles Castronovo returns to the role of Alfredo which he sang opposite Ana Maria Martinez last Season. He has sung Alfredo for Minnesota Opera, in Athens and recently made his Italian debut in the role in Genoa. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in the

17 role of Ferrando in Così fan tutte during the 2004/5 Season. Recent roles include his first Faust in Pittsburgh and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) in Paris.

Serbian baritone Željko Lučić sings the role of Giorgio Germont. He has previously sung the role in Frankfurt, Aix-en–Provence and Luxembourg. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in March 2005 singing the role of Sharpless (Madama Butterfly). Recent roles include Count di Luna (Il trovatore) in Paris and the title role in Nabucco and Valentin (Faust) in Frankfurt.

Former Company Principal Graeme Broadbent returns to the role of Doctor Grenvil which he has sung in the last three revivals at Covent Garden. His recent roles with the Company include Timur (Turandot), Count Ceprano (Rigoletto), King Marke (Tristan und Isolde) and Nightwatchman (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg).

Vilar Young Artist Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Liora Grodnikaite returns to the role of Flora Bervoix which she sang at Covent Garden in January 2005. She made her debut with The Royal Opera as Curra (La forza del destino) in November 2004 and sang Flosshilde (Das Rheingold) in December 2004.

Elizabeth Sikora returns to the role of Annina, which she last sang for the Company in 1998. More recent roles with The Royal Opera include Old Woman (The Greek Passion), Rossweisse (Die Walküre) and Third Lady (Die Zauberflöte).

Eddie Wade also returns to the role of Baron Douphol which he sang last Season. He was heard earlier in the Season in the role of Indian (The Bartered Bride).

Vilar Young Artists Robert Gleadow and Nikola Matisic sing the roles of Marquis D’Obigny and Gastone respectively.

The cast is completed by members of The Royal Opera Chorus: with Jonathan Coad (Servant), Neil Gillespie (Giuseppe) and Thomas Barnard (Messenger).

LE NOZZE DI FIGARO

NEW PRODUCTION

31 January, 2, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22 February at 7pm / 4 February at 12.30pm

Supported (2005) by The Friends of Covent Garden

To mark the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, The Royal Opera presents a new production of Le nozze di Figaro, conducted by Music Director Antonio Pappano (with David Syrus conducting two performances). Le nozze di Figaro is directed by David McVicar, whose previous productions for The Royal Opera include Rigoletto, Die Zauberflöte and Faust. Designs are by Tanya McCallin who worked together with David McVicar on Rigoletto. Lighting is by Paule Constable.

Uruguayan bass Erwin Schrott sings the title role of Figaro. He made his debut in the role in January 2005 in Vienna. He made his debut at Covent Garden singing Banquo (Macbeth) in 2002 and returned to sing the role of Leporello (Don Giovanni) in 2003. He made his debut in the title role of Don Giovanni also in 2003 in Washington and has repeated the role recently in Los Angeles and Turin.

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Swedish soprano Miah Persson makes her Royal Opera debut singing the role of Susanna. She has previously sung the role with the Royal Swedish Opera and in Berlin in 2003. Formerly a member of the Royal Swedish Opera, her many roles there included Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) and Dorinda (Orlando).

Countess Almaviva is sung by German soprano Dorothea Röschmann. She made her debut in the role at the Ravinia Festival (Chicago) in 2004, having made both her debuts at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and at Vienna in the role of Susanna. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House as Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) in 2003.

Canadian baritone Gerald Finley sings the role of Count Almaviva, having sung the role of Figaro in the Johannes Schaaf production in 1995. He has previously sung the role of the Count in Amsterdam in 2001 and in Paris in 2003. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1989 and his roles have included Giorgio Germont (La traviata), the title role in Don Giovanni, Gamekeeper (The Cuning Little Vixen) and Creonte (L’anima del filosofo).

New to Covent Garden is Israeli-born mezzo-soprano Rinat Shaham who sings the role of Cherubino. She previously sang the role in Berlin under Barenboim, and at New York City Opera and the Ravinia Festival. She made her debut at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in July 2004 in the title role of Carmen.

Singing the role of Marcellina for the first time at Covent Garden is Chilean mezzo-soprano Graciella Araya. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 2001 singing Maddalena (Rigoletto), a role she repeated at the Royal Opera House in 2002.

Jonathan Veira sings the role of Bartolo, a role he has previously sung at Zürich Opera and Opéra de Nice. His recent roles at Covent Garden include Le Bailli (Werther), Hobson (Peter Grimes) and Judge Turpin (Sweeney Todd).

Philip Langridge sings the role of Basilio with The Royal Opera for the first time. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1983 as The Fisherman (Le Rossignol). His roles at Covent Garden have included the title roles of Peter Grimes, Idomeneo, Palestrina, Gustav von Aschenbach (Death in Venice), King of Naples (The Tempest) and, most recently, Loge (Das Rheingold).

Company Principal Jeremy White returns to the role of Antonio, which he sang in the 1998 production, while Francis Egerton adds another new role at Covent Garden to his total of over 43 roles for the Company, that of Don Curzio.

Vilar Young Artist New Zealand soprano Ana James makes her Royal Opera debut as Barbarina. She studied at the Manhattan School of Music and the and her opera roles have included Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) for British Youth Opera.

The last new production at Covent Garden of Le nozze di Figaro was directed by Johannes Schaaf in 1987. The last time the production was seen on stage was in 1995. The Royal Opera mounted a new production of Le nozze di Figaro in 1998 directed by Patrick Young which was seen in the Shaftesbury Theatre in two different casts.

19 MACBETH Giuseppe Verdi

18 February, 4 March at 7pm / 21, 24 February at 7.30pm, 1, 6, 9 March at 7.30pm

Supported (2003) by The Jean Sainsbury Royal Opera House Fund

Phyllida Lloyd’s production of Verdi’s Macbeth, new in 2002, returns for its first revival. Designs are by Anthony Ward, lighting by Paule Constable and choreography by Michael Keegan Dolan.

New to Covent Garden is Russian-born American conductor Yakov Kreizberg. He holds the posts of Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Netherlands Philharmonic and Netherlands Chamber Orchestras and is Principal Guest Conductor to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. His opera conducting has included Jenůfa, Don Giovanni and Kát’a Kabanová at Glyndebourne and most recently Iolanthe with Netherlands Opera and Weill’s Der Protagonist and Royal Palace (at the Bregenz Festival 2004).

American baritone Thomas Hampson sings the title role, a role he has previously sung in Zürich in 2001. His association with the Royal Opera House began in 1993 when he made his debut as Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), returning for Marcello (La bohème), Rodrigo (Don Carlos), the German Soldier in concert performances of Britten’s War , Amfortas (Parsifal), Mandryka () and, most recently, Renato (Un ballo in maschera).

Lithuanian soprano Violeta Urmana sings the role of Lady Macbeth. She first sang the role in concert at the Edinburgh Festival in 2003 followed by staged performances in Seville. She made her debut with The Royal Opera singing Princess Eboli in Don Carlos at the Edinburgh Festival in 1998 and made her debut at the Royal Opera House in 2001 singing Kundry (Parsifal). She returned to Covent Garden last Season to sing the title role of La Gioconda in concert and Leonora in La forza del destino.

John Relyea sings the role of Banquo. He previously sang the role in concert at the Edinburgh Festival in 2003. He made his Royal Opera debut as Colline (La bohème) in 2002 and returned to sing Cadmus/Somnus (Semele) in July 2003, followed by the role of Raimondo ().

The role of Macduff is shared between Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja and Welsh tenor Gwyn Hughes Jones. Joseph Calleja made his professional operatic debut in Malta in 1997 as Macduff. His debut with The Royal Opera was in October 2002 as the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto) and he sang the role of Alfredo (La traviata) in 2003 and again in 2005. Gwyn Hughes Jones made his stage debut at Covent Garden as Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), having previously sung with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a series of gala concerts in the USA. He has previously sung the role of Macduff for Amici di Verdi with Edward Downes.

Elizabeth Woollett returns to sing Lady-in-Waiting, the role she sang in 2002. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 1991 as Clorinda in La Cenerentola and most recently sang the role of Ines (Il trovatore) in 2004.

The roles of Malcolm and the Doctor are sung by Vilar Young Artists Andrew Sritheran and Robert Gleadow.

20 WOZZECK Alban Berg

27 February, 2, 7, 10, 13 March at 7.30pm

Supported (2002) by The Friends of Covent Garden

Winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production in 2002, Keith Warner’s production of Alban Berg’s psychological drama Wozzeck returns for its first revival at Covent Garden, conducted by Daniel Harding.

The set designs are by Stefanos Lazaridis, costumes are by Marie-Jeanne Lecca and lighting is by Rick Fisher.

Making his Royal Opera House debut is Danish bass-baritone Johan Reuter in the title role of Wozzeck. He first sang the role of Wozzeck in Schaaf’s production in in June 2004. He has been a member of the Royal Danish Opera since 1996 and recent roles there include Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Mandryka (Arabella), Wotan and Donner (Das Rheingold), Tschelio (The Love of Three Oranges) and Interrogator/Uncle Albert in the world premiere of Kafka’s Trial by Poul Ruders. He has also sung the title role in Don Giovanni in Frankfurt and repeated the role of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) in Hamburg.

New to Covent Garden is Susan Bullock, who makes her role debut as Marie. A leading British Wagnerian soprano, in recent seasons she has performed Brünnhilde (Der Ring des Nibelungen) in Tokyo, Brünnhilde (Götterdämmerung) in Perth and Isolde (Tristan und Isolde) for the Operas of Rouen and Frankfurt. Other recent roles include the title role in Elektra in Frankfurt, Dresden and Rouen and Female Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia) in Munich.

Finnish tenor Jorma Silvasti sings the role of the Drum Major. He has previously sung the role in Helsinki in 2001. He made his Royal Opera debut in 1998 as Jeník in The Bartered Bride and subsequent roles with the Company include Manolios (The Greek Passion), Laca (Jenůfa) and Rudolph Franz Höss in the world premiere of Sophie’s Choice in 2002 and, most recently, the role of Siegmund (Die Walküre).

Austrian bass Kurt Rydl returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of the Doctor. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1993 as Rocco (Fidelio) and his roles for The Royal Opera have included Zaccaria (Nabucco), Grand Inquisitor (Don Carlos), Hagen (Götterdämmerung), Cardinal Madruscht (Palestrina), Osmin (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Sparafucile (Rigoletto), Baron Ochs (Der Rosenkavalier) and Kaspar (Der Freischütz) in concert.

British tenor Graham Clark returns to The Royal Opera to sing the role of Captain, which he created in this production in 2002. He has sung the role on numerous occasions, including at , Milan, Turin and at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1995 as Mime in Siegfried, a role he repeated with the Company in 1996 and 1998. His subsequent roles with The Royal Opera include Captain Vere (Billy Budd) and Bishop of Budoja (Palestrina).

English tenor Peter Bronder sings the role of Andres. He has previously sung the role in concert at the South Bank Centre and has sung the role of Captain for Opera North. His recent Royal Opera roles include Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), the Innkeeper (Der Rosenkavalier), and Shabby Peasant (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk).

21 The rest of the cast are returning to the roles they created in 2002. British mezzo-soprano Claire Powell returns to the role of Margret. She made her Covent Garden debut in 1980 as Annina (La traviata) and her most recent role for The Royal Opera was Waltraute (Die Walküre) in 2005.

British baritone Quentin Hayes sings the role of First Apprentice. He made his debut with The Royal Opera as Agravian (Gawain) in 2000 and his roles have included Ping (Turandot), Angelotti (Tosca), Schaunard (La bohème) and Ned Keene (Peter Grimes).

Company Principal Jeremy White sings the role of Second Apprentice. His many roles with The Royal Opea include Truffaldino (Ariadne auf Naxos), Badger (Cunning Little Vixen), Sacristan (Tosca) and Kecal (The Bartered Bride).

Francis Egerton sings the role of Half-wit. He has sung for over thirty consecutive Seasons with The Royal Opera. Recent roles include Emperor Altoum (Turandot), Schoolmaster (The Greek Passion) and Half-wit (Wozzeck).

EUGENE ONEGIN Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky

NEW PRODUCTION

16, 20, 22, 24 March at 7pm, 3, 5 April at 7pm / 8 April at 6.30pm

Co-production with Finnish National Opera

Working at the Royal Opera House for the first time, British director Steven Pimlott directs this new production of Eugene Onegin,. He is currently Artistic Co-Director of the Chichester Festival, and will direct the world premiere of 5/11 there in the summer of 2005, together with a new production of King Lear. His work in the the theatre has ranged from musicals such as Joseph, Bombay Dreams and Sunday in the Park with George, to Richard III and for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His recent opera work in the UK includes La bohème and The Coronation of Poppea for ENO and Param Vir’s ION for Almeida Opera. Designs are by Antony McDonald and lighting by Peter Mumford.

Young Swiss conductor Philippe Jordan returns to the Royal Opera House to conduct all performances. He made his debut with The Royal Opera conducting Die Zauberflöte in 2003 and returned to conduct Samson et Dalila in 2004. He made his UK debut conducting Carmen for Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 2003.

Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings the title role, a role he first sang at the Royal Opera House in 1993 and subsequently in Chicago in 2003. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1992 as Riccardo in I puritani and his other roles with The Royal Opera include Giorgio Germont (La traviata), Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Count di Luna (Il trovatore), Francesco (I masnadieri), Silvio (Pagliacci) and, most recently, the title role in Rigoletto (June 2005).

British soprano Amanda Roocroft sings the role of Tatyana. She has previously sung the role for WNO. Her roles with The Royal Opera include Desdemona (Otello), Katya (Kát’a Kabanová), Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare), Mimì (La bohème), Arabella (Arabella), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Eva (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and, most

22 recently, her debut in the role of Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly). This season she sings Jenifer in Midsummer Marriage in October 2005.

Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of Lensky. He made his highly successful debut at the Royal Opera House in Les Contes d’Hoffmann in 2004 and returns to sing the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto) in July 2005. He recently made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and San Francisco Opera as Alfredo (La traviata) as well as his role debut in Don Carlos at Netherlands Opera.

New to Covent Garden is Georgian mezzo-soprano Nino Surguladze who makes her debut with The Royal Opera singing the role of Olga. Recent roles include Maria (Mosè in Egitto) and Meg (Falstaff) for La Scala, Milan, Maddalena (Rigoletto) in Barcelona and Fenena (Nabucco) in Piacenza.

British mezzo-soprano Diana Montague returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of Madame Larina for the first time. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 1978 and her recent roles for The Royal Opera have included Magdalene (Die Meistersinger von Nürnburg), Háta (The Bartered Bride), Meg (Falstaff) and Junon (Platée).

American bass Eric Halfvarson sings the role of Prince Gremin. He made his debut with The Royal Opera as Claggart in Billy Budd in 2000 and his other roles for the Company include Moser (I masnadieri), Doctor (Wozzeck), Sparafucile (Rigoletto) and Alvise Badoero (La Gioconda) in concert. He returns to sing the role of Hunding (Die Walküre) in July 2005.

Making her Covent Garden debut is Susan Gorton in the role of Filipievna. She has previously sung the role for Glyndebourne Touring Opera and repeats the role later in 2005 for ENO. Recent roles include Grandmother Buryja (Jenůfa) and Mamma Lucia () for WNO.

Welsh tenor Ryland Davies sings the role of Monsieur Triquet for the first time at Covent Garden. His recent roles for The Royal Opera include Alcindoro (La bohème) and Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte).

Vilar Young Artist Robert Gleadow sings the role of Zaretski.

Eugene Onegin was last heard at the Royal Opera House in November 1993 in John Cox’s production, with designs by Timothy O’Brien, lighting by Nick Chelton and choreography by Kim Brandstrup.

IL RE PASTORE Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

NEW PRODUCTION FOR ROH2 LINBURY at the Royal Opera House

11, 13, 20, 22 April at 7.30pm / 15 April at 7pm / 17 April at 4.30pm

Marking the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, The Royal Opera stages a new production of this youthful work, first performed in 1775.

Following the success of last Season’s production of The Rape of Lucretia, John Lloyd Davies returns to direct and design this new production of Il re pastore for The Royal Opera in the

23 Linbury. In the 1980s he worked at ENO on over thirty productions and has also worked for Scottish Opera (, The Cunning Little Vixen). He has recently been appointed Head of Opera Development for ROH2.

British-born Edward Gardner, Music Director of Glyndebourne On Tour - for whom he has conducted Eugene Onegin and La bohème – conducts all performances. He recently made his debut at the Paris Opera conducting Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins. He assisted Mark Elder on Attila at the Royal Opera House in 2002.

Following her highly successful debut at Covent Garden as Magda (La rondine) in 2004, Vilar Young Artist Katie Van Kooten sings the role Aminta. Her roles for The Royal Opera include Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) and Arbate (Mitridate re di Ponto).

New to the Vilar Young Artists programme this year, New Zealand soprano Ana James sings the role of Elisa. She studied at the Manhattan School of Music and the Royal College of Music and her opera roles have included Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) for British Youth Opera. Her roles during her first season with The Royal Opera include Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro) and Lisa (Cyrano de Bergerac).

Robert Murray sings the role of Agenore. His roles for The Royal Opera have included Gastone (La traviata), First Priest, Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) and Borsa (Rigoletto).

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG Richard Wagner

NEW PRODUCTION

17♥, 22 April, 6 May at 4pm / 27 April, 3 May at 4.30pm / 30 April at 3pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

Ring Cycle Production Sponsor (2006) The Dalriada Trust Peter Borender (Benefactors’ Circle 2006) The Hobson Charity (Benefactors’ Circle 2006)

The Royal Opera’s new Ring cycle, directed by Keith Warner, continues with the final part of the cycle, Götterdämmerung. The complete cycle will be staged in October 2007. Antonio Pappano, Music Director of The Royal Opera, conducts.

British stage director Keith Warner made his Royal Opera House debut in 2002 when he directed Wozzeck, which won a Laurence Olivier Award for the Best New Opera Production. He has previously directed a Ring cycle at the New National Theatre, Tokyo. Other Wagnerian productions which he has staged include Lohengrin (Bayreuth Festival), Der fliegende Höllander (Flanders Opera and Portland), Tannhäuser (New Sussex Opera) and Tristan und Isolde (Opera North and Bochum). Matthias von Stegmann is the Associate Director.

Sets are by Stefanos Lazaridis, costumes by Marie-Jeanne Lecca and lighting by Wolfgang Göbbel.

British-born tenor John Treleaven sings the role of Siegfried. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1979 and returned to sing the role of Froh (Das Rheingold) in 1980 and again in

24 1982. He sang the role of Siegfried for the first time in Götterdämmerung in 2000 and since then has sung the role in Chicago, in Barcelona, Helsinki and also in Tokyo (in Keith Warner’s production). His roles during the 2004/5 season also include the title role in Tristan in Frankfurt and Lohengrin in Hamburg.

The role of Brünnhilde will be sung once again by Australian soprano Lisa Gasteen. After making her debut at Covent Garden singing Isolde (Tristan und Isolde) in 2002, she returned to sing the title role in Elektra in 2003 and sang her first Brünnhilde for Covent Garden in Die Walküre in 2005. She made her role debut as Brünnhilde in Siegfried in Stuttgart and sang her first complete Ring cycle in 2001 in Meiningen. She sang the role of Sieglinde (Die Walküre) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 2004.

Renowned Wagnerian John Tomlinson returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of Hagen, which he has previously sung in concert for The Royal Opera and has also sung at Bayreuth and in Berlin. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1977. He first sang the role of Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen at Covent Garden in 1991 and repeated the role in 1994, 1996 and also sang the role in concert for The Royal Opera in 1998. His roles at Covent Garden have included Hans Sachs (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg), Gurnemanz (Parsifal) and the Green Knight (Gawain). More recent roles include Boris Ismailov (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), the title role in Boris Godunov and Méphistophélès (Faust).

Egyptian-born Peter Sidhom sings the role of Alberich for the first time at Covent Garden. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1993 singing Schaunard (La bohème) and his roles for The Royal Opera have included Donner (Das Rheingold), Capulet (Roméo et Juliette), Paolo Albiani (Simon Boccanegra), Scarpia (Tosca) and Grigoris (The Greek Passion). He has previously sung the role of Alberich for San Francisco Opera, Scottish Opera, Toulouse Opera and in concert with the Cleveland Orchestra under Dohnányi in the USA in 2002.

New to the Royal Opera House is Japanese mezzo-soprano Mihoko Fujimura, who makes her debut singing Waltraute. She has previously sung the role in Bayreuth, Graz, Tokyo, Berlin and Vienna. Recent roles include Fricka (Der Ring des Nibelungen) in Munich, Bayreuth and Berlin, Kundry (Parsifal) in Vienna and Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde) in Geneva.

Peter Coleman-Wright sings the role of Gunther for the first time. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1990 as Dandini (La Cenerentola) and his roles for The Royal Opera have included Don Alvaro (Il viaggio a Reims), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Marcello (La bohème), Ping (Turandot), the title role in Billy Budd and the Narrator (Paul Bunyan).

American soprano Emily Magee sings the role of Gutrune, having sung Freia in Das Rheingold in December 2004. She has previously sung the role at La Scala, Milan, as well as in Berlin and Munich. She made her Covent Garden debut performing the title role in Jenůfa in 2001. She came to international attention following her German debut as Elsa (Lohengrin) in Berlin. Her other Wagnerian roles include Eva (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) in Bayreuth, Vienna, Munich and and Freia (Das Rheingold) in Bayreuth, Berlin and Munich.

Catherine Wyn-Rogers sings the role of First Norn, which she sang at the Royal Opera House in the production by Richard Jones. She made her Covent Garden debut in 1989 as Schwertleite (Die Walküre) and her roles for The Royal Opera have included Erda (Das Rheingold), Magdalene (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and Mrs Sedley (Peter Grimes).

Yvonne Howard sings Second Norn. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House in 1991 singing Mercedes (Carmen). More recently, her roles with the Company have included Third Lady (Die Zauberflöte) and Ludmila (The Bartered Bride).

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British soprano Sarah Fox sings the role of Woglinde as in Das Rheingold, and she also sings the role of the Woodbird (Siegfried). She made her debut at Covent Garden in the role of Frantik (The Cunning Little Vixen) in 2003 and recently sang the role of Woglinde (Das Rheingold) at the Royal Opera House during the 2004/5 Season. Other recent roles include Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) for Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the Royal Danish Opera.

British mezzo-soprano Heather Shipp returns to the role of Wellgunde, the role in which she made her debut at the Royal Opera House in Das Rheingold. Recent roles include Carmen for , Nancy (Albert Herring) for Opera North and Eleanor in Roxanna Panufnik’s chamber opera The Music Programme (Linbury).

New Zealand-born mezzo-soprano Sarah Castle sings the role of Flosshilde, having sung Siegrune in Die Walküre in 2005. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 2001 as Tisbe (La Cenerentola). Recent roles include Flosshilde and Grimgerde in the Ring at Bayreuth.

CYRANO DE BERGERAC Franco Alfano

NEW PRODUCTION Co-production with the the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Opens May 2005

8, 11, 17, 24 May at 7.30pm / 14 May at 3pm / 27 May at 7pm

Supported by Hélène and Jean Peters (Benefactors’ Circle 2006)

Cyrano de Bergerac, written in 1936 by Franco Alfano, receives its premiere at the Royal Opera House in a new production by Francesca Zambello which is shared with the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Set designs are by Peter J. Davison, costumes by Anita Yavich and lighting by Natasha Katz.

Mark Elder returns for his third appearance this Season, having previously conducted concert performances of Dom Sébastien and a new production of Il barbiere di Siviglia. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1976 conducting Rigoletto. He has previously conducted over ten operas at the Royal Opera House, including more recently Simon Boccanegra, Lohengrin, Attila and Turandot.

Plácido Domingo adds yet another new role to his roster of over 20 roles which he has sung with the Company since his debut at Covent Garden in 1971 as Cavaradossi (Tosca). He makes his debut in the title role of Cyrano in this production at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in May 2005. In addition to staged performances with The Royal Opera, he has also taken to the conductor’s podium to conduct several productions. More recently he sang the role of Canio (Pagliacci) in 2003 and also conducted three performances of the opera. He sings the role of Siegmund (Die Walküre) in July 2005.

New to the Royal Opera House is young American soprano who sings the role of Roxane both at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and at Covent Garden. Her recent roles include Leonora (Il trovatore) for , Arena di Verona, and Houston Grand Opera and Elena (I vespri Siciliani) for the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

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American tenor Raymond Very sings the role of Christian for both the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and The Royal Opera. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in the role of Matteo (Arabella). Recent roles include Kudrjáš (Kát’a Kabanová) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Cassio (Otello) and a return to the role of Matteo (Arabella) in Munich.

German baritone Roman Trekel makes his role debut as De Guiche. He made his Royal Opera House debut in 2003 as Herald (Lohengrin) followed by Pagageno (Die Zauberflote). He has been a member of the since 1988 and his recent roles there have included Amfortas (Parsifal), Wolfram (Tannhaüser), Pelléas (Pelléas et Mélisande), Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte) and Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro).

Also new to the Royal Opera House is Italian baritone Carmelo Corrado Caruso who sings the role of Ragueneau. More recent roles include the title role in Il prigioniero for the Maggio Musicale, Florence, in 2004, Scarpia (Tosca) in Turin and Giorgio Germont (La traviata) in Naples.

British baritone Mark Stone makes his second appearance of the Season with The Royal Opera singing the role of Valvert, having sung the role of Sonora in La fanciulla del West. He is currently a member of ENO where his recent roles have included the title role in Don Giovanni and Figaro (The Barber of Seville).

British bass Clive Bayley sings the role of Carbon for the first time. He made his debut with Covent Garden in Fidelio in 1987 and his roles for The Royal Opera include Agravian (Gawain), Colline (La bohème), Foltz (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and José Castrol (La fanciulla del West). Recent roles include the Doctor (Wozzeck) for WNO and Narbal (Les Troyens) for ENO.

Iain Paterson sings the role of Le Bret. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 2004 as Count Lamoral (Arabella).

Frances McCafferty sings the roles of Governess/Mother Superior. Her recent appearances with The Royal Opera include the Governess (The Queen of Spades), Yetta Zimmerman (Sophie’s Choice), First Maid (Elektra) and Xenia’s Nurse (Boris Godunov).

Company Principal Jeremy White sings the roles of Lignière/Musketeer. His many roles with The Royal Opera include Truffaldino (Ariadne auf Naxos), Badger (The Cunning Little Vixen), Sacristan (Tosca) and Kecal (The Bartered Bride).

Vilar Young Artist New Zealand soprano Ana James sings the roles of Lisa/Sister.

DUKE BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE / ERWARTUNG Béla Bartók /

26, 30 May, 2, 12♥, 15 June at 7.30pm / 10, 17 June at 7pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

Supported (2002) by The Friends of Covent Garden

27 This Season sees the first revival of Willy Decker’s award-nominated double bill which was first seen at the Royal Opera House in 2002. Designs are by John Macfarlane and lighting is by David Finn.

Russian conductor Kirill Petrenko, General Music Director of the , conducts this double bill. He made his Covent Garden debut in 2003 conducting Madama Butterfly. Recent productions he has conducted at the Komische Oper Berlin include Le nozze di Figaro and La traviata. He recently conducted Khovanshchina for Frankfurt Opera.

German bass Albert Dohmen sings Duke Bluebeard, a role he has previously sung in concert in Marseille in 2004. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 2001 as Scarpia (Tosca), a role he repeated for The Royal Opera in 2004. A leading Wagnerian, he has sung the role of Wotan in complete Ring cycles in Trieste, Geneva, Berlin Vienna and the Netherlands. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in 2005 as Jochanaan () and more recent roles include Kaspar (Der Freischütz) in Munich, Amfortas (Parsifal) and Kurwenal (Tristan und Isolde) in Geneva.

German mezzo-soprano Petra Lang sings the role of Judith. She has previously sung the role in concert in 1999 in Brussels under , in Philadelphia under Sawallisch and in Ferrara, Budapest and Modena under Ivan Fischer. She made her debut with The Royal Opera singing the role of Waltraute (Götterdämmerung) in concert in 1998. She also sang the Verdi Requiem for The Royal Opera the following year. Her stage roles have included Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde) in 2000 and 2002 and, most recently, Prima Donna/Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos (also in 2002).

She shares the role with English mezzo-soprano Christine Rice, who makes her debut in the role of Judith. She made her Royal Opera debut in 1998 as Flora Bervoix (La traviata) at the and returned for concert performances of La rondine where she sang Suzi/Lolette. In 2003 she made her stage debut at the Royal Opera House as Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte. In 2004 she sang Miranda (The Tempest), Sonyetka (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), the title role in The Rape of Lucretia and Dryad (Ariadne auf Naxos); this was followed by Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) and Emilia (Otello) in 2005.

Making her Royal Opera House debut is German soprano Angela Denoke as the Woman in Erwartung, her first staged production of this work. She will sing the role in concert in Berlin under Daniel Barenboim in March 2006 and in Vienna in May 2006. Recent roles include the title role in Kát’a Kabanová in Paris, Marietta/Marie in Die Tote Stadt in Vienna, Kundry (Parsifal) in Vienna and Marschallin (Der Rosenkavalier) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

TOSCA Giacomo Puccini

NEW PRODUCTION Co-production with Palau de les Arts, Valencia

13, 16, 20, 22, 23, 26♥, 27, 29 June, 3♥, 5 July at 7.30pm / 24 June at 12.30pm / 1, 8 July at 7pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

Production sponsored (2006) by Coutts & Co

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The Royal Opera mounts a new production of Puccini’s Tosca for the first time in over 40 years. Jonathan Kent, former Joint Artistic Director of , directs his first production for Covent Garden. His productions at the Almeida Theatre included Molière’s Tartuffe and The School for Wives, Hamlet, Euripides’ Medea, David Hare’s version of The Life of Galileo and Nicholas Wright’s version of Pirandello’s Naked. His other theatre productions include Le Cid and Mother Courage and her Children for the . More recent productions include Man of La Mancha on Broadway, Kát’a Kabanová (Santa Fe), Hamlet (Japan and London) and Hecuba at the Donmar Warehouse.

Designs are by Paul Brown, whose work for The Royal Opera includes Mitridate, re di Ponto, Falstaff, The Midsummer Marriage and I masnadieri. Lighting is by Mark Henderson.

The podium is shared between Music Director Antonio Pappano, conducting his first Tosca at Covent Garden, and Paul Wynne Griffiths. Antonio Pappano has previously recorded a film version of Tosca with director Benoît Jacquot, featuring Angela Gheorghiu as Tosca. Paul Wynne Griffiths has recently conducted (in concert), Don Giovanni, La bohème, Turandot and Madama Butterfly for The Royal Opera.

The production is double cast with the first cast led by Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu singing her first Tosca on stage. She created the role for the film version of Tosca by Benoît Jacquot. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 1992 as Zerlina in Don Giovanni and her many roles with the Company have included Mimì (La bohème), Liù (Turandot), Nina (Chérubin), Violetta (La traviata), Juliette (Roméo et Juliette), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Antonia (Les Contes d’ Hoffmann), Amelia (Simon Boccanegra) and Magda (La rondine).

American soprano Catherine Naglestad leads the second cast. She has previously sung the role of Tosca in Stuttgart, Berlin and Marseille. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House in 2000 as Musetta (La bohème) and returned the following Season to perform Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail). She most recently appeared with The Royal Opera singing the role of Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte).

Argentinian tenor Marcelo Alvarez sings his first Cavaradossi at Covent Garden. He made his debut with The Royal Opera as Alfredo at the Royal Albert Hall in 1998 and repeated the role for The Royal Opera in Baden-Baden in the same year. He has since sung the title role in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto), Rodolfo (Luisa Miller), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), the title role of Werther and Riccardo (Un ballo in maschera) during the 2004/5 Season.

Young Italian tenor Nicola Rossi Giordano sings the role of Cavaradossi in the second cast. He has previously sung the role of Cavaradossi in Porto, Barcelona, Madrid and Santiago and will sing the role in Hamburg at the end of 2005. He made his operatic debut as Radames (Aida) in Cairo in 2001 and his debut with The Royal Opera singing the role of Gabriele Adorno (Simon Boccanegra) in March 2004.

Having sung the role of Wotan in both Das Rheingold and Die Walküre last Season, Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of Baron Scarpia with the first cast. He has previously sung the role in Amsterdam in 1998. He made his stage debut at the Royal Opera House in 1992 in Don Giovanni singing Masetto. Subsequent roles with The Royal Opera include Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Jokanaan (Salome), Balstrode (Peter Grimes), the title roles in Don Giovanni and Falstaff and Méphistophélès in Faust.

29 American bass Samuel Ramey returns to the role of Scarpia which he sang in the previous production both in 1991 and again in 2004. His many roles for The Royal Opera include the title role in Attila, Zaccaria (Nabucco), Four Villains (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Phillip II (Don Carlos) and Méphistophélès (La damnation de Faust) and also the title role in Mefistofele in concert.

Vilar Young Artist Robert Gleadow sings Sciarrone. The rest of the cast will be announced at a later date.

The previous production of Tosca was originally created in 1964 by (featuring , , Renato Cioni and conducted by Carlo Felice Cillario). John Cox re-directed the production in 1991 and it was seen for the final time at Covent Garden in July 2004. Overall the production received 242 performances during its lifetime at Covent Garden.

LE NOZZE DI FIGARO Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

19♥, 21, 28, 30 June, 4, 6 July at 7 pm / 24 June at 6.30 pm / 9 July at 3pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

Supported (2005) by The Friends of Covent Garden

This is a second opportunity to see The Royal Opera’s new production of Le nozze di Figaro by David McVicar with a largely new cast conducted by Colin Davis and David Syrus.

Colin Davis last conducted Le nozze di Figaro for The Royal Opera in 1985. Recent Mozart productions he has conducted at Covent Garden include Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni, La clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte. He last appearedwith The Royal Opera in 2004 conducting Ariadne auf Naxos.

David Syrus’s more recent performances for The Royal Opera include Elektra, Don Giovanni, La clemenza di Tito and The Bartered Bride.

American bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen sings the role of Figaro. He has previously sung the role at New York City Opera and Opera Pacific. This is his second appearance of the Season, having sung the role of Henrik (Maskarade). He made his Royal Opera debut last Season as Speaker of the Temple. Recent roles include Escamillo (Carmen) in St Louis and Washington and Masetto (Don Giovanni) in Chicago and Méphistophélès (Faust) in Michigan.

A former winner of the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition in 2000, Canadian-Armenian soprano makes her Covent Garden debut singing the role of Susanna. She has previously sung the role for Paris Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Chicago and Los Angeles. Recent roles include Catherine (A View from the Bridge) and Teresa (Benvenuto Cellini) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Marzelline (Fidelio) in Chicago and Leïla (Les Pêcheurs de perles) in San Diego.

Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of Countess Almaviva. She made her debut in the role in Paris in 1997 and has also sung the role in Vienna, Tokyo, Munich, and at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Her roles with The Royal Opera include Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Mařenka (The Bartered Bride), Eva (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and Alice Ford (Falstaff).

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Michael Volle sings the role of Count Almaviva. He has previously sung the role in Vienna, Cologne and Berlin. Recent roles include Beckmesser (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and Golaud (Pélléas et Mélisande) in Zürich, Forester (The Cunning Little Vixen) in Munich and Jonny (Jonny spielt auf) in Cologne. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House singing the role of Herald (Lohengrin) in 1997.

Canadian baritone Gerald Finley returns to Covent Garden to sing the role of Count Almaviva for two performances, having sung the role in the production when it was new in January 2006. He has previously sung the role of the Count in Amsterdam. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1989 and his roles with The Royal Opera have included Giorgio Germont (La traviata), the title role in Don Giovanni, Gamekeeper (The Cunning Little Vixen) and Creonte (L’anima del filosofo).

French mezzo-soprano Sophie Koch sings Cherubino, a role she has previously sung in Vienna, Munich, Toulouse and Madrid. She made her debut with The Royal Opera as Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and her other roles for the Company include Dorabella (Così fan tutte), Silla (Palestrina), Angelina (La Cenerentola), Composer (Ariadne auf Naxos) and Siébel (Faust).

Robert Lloyd sings the role of Bartolo which he last sang with the Company in 1998. He made his debut at Covent Garden in 1972 in Khovanshchina. He was appointed Senior Artist with The Royal Opera in 2004. His recent roles with the Company include Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Old Man (The Greek Passion), Rambaldo Fernandez (La rondine) and Commendatore (Don Giovanni).

American soprano Helen Donath sings Marcellina. She made her debut with The Royal Opera in 1979 as Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress). One of her more recent roles is that of the Marshchallin (Der Rosenkavalier) which she sang in Detroit.

British tenor John Graham-Hall sings the role of Basilio, which he has previously sung at Glyndebourne. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 1989 in the title role of Albert Herring. His most recent roles at Covent Garden include Dancing Master (Ariadne auf Naxos) in 2002 and Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte).

Harry Nicoll returns for his second role of the Season, having sung Joe (La fanciulla del West). His recent roles at Covent Garden include Major Domo (Der Rosenkavalier) and Goro (Madama Butterfly).

Company Principal Jeremy White returns to the role of Antonio and Vilar Young Artist Ana James returns to the role of Barbarina which she sang earlier in the Season.

David McVicar’s new production of Le nozze di Figaro opens at Covent Garden in January 2006 with designs by Tanya McCallin and lighting by Paule Constable.

TURANDOT Giacomo Puccini

7, 10♥, 11, 13, 14, 18, 21 July at 7.30pm / 15 July at 7pm / 22 July at 1pm

♥Travelex £10 Monday

31 Andrei Serban’s performance of Puccini’s Turandot has remained one of the most popular in The Royal Opera repertory since its first staging in 1984. The current revival is double cast and will be directed by Jeremy Sutcliffe.

Designs are by Sally Jacobs and lighting by F. Mitchell Dana. Original choreography is by Kate Flatt and will be rehearsed by Ann Whitley.

Hungarian born Stefan Soltesz conducts all performances. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House conducting Daphne in concert in 2002. Stefan Soltesz is Intendant and Music Director of the Aalto Music Theatre, Essen and Music Director of the Essen Philharmonic.

American soprano Andrea Gruber returns for her second role of the Season, having sung Minnie (La fanciulla del West) at the start of the Season. She first performed the title role of Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera in 2002 which was followed by her debut at the Paris Opéra in the same role. She also gave the Italian premiere of the Berio finale to Turandot in Genoa and has sung the role recently in La Scala. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House in 1996 in the title role in Aida, returning as Turandot in 2005.

The role of Calaf is shared between Canadian tenor Ben Heppner and Chinese tenor Yu Qiang Dai. Ben Heppner made his debut at Covent Garden in 1990 as Walther in Die Meistersinger von Nürnburg and returned in the title role in Peter Grimes in 1995 and 2004 and sang the title role of Otello in 2005. He has previously sung the role of Calaf in Chicago in 1996. Yu Qiang Dai made his debut at the Royal Opera House as Cavaradossi (Tosca) in July 2004 and sang the role of Calaf in February 2005. He also sings Rodolfo (La bohème) with The Royal Opera in June 2005. He made his professional debut in 1990 at the National Opera House in China as Calaf and has also sung the role in Portland in 2003.

Sharing the role of Liù is Greek soprano Elena Kelessidi and British soprano Susan Gritton. Elena Kelessidi first sang the role of Liù at the Royal Opera House in 2002. Her previous roles with The Royal Opera include Violetta (La traviata), Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare), the Queen of Shemakha (The Golden Cockerel), Mimì (La bohème), Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Amina (La sonnambula), Antonia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) and Marguerite (Faust). Susan Gritton returns for her second role of the Season having sung the role of Mařenka (The Bartered Bride). She made her debut with The Royal Opera as Clarine and Thalie in Rameau’s Platée in 1997 and her roles for The Royal Opera include Flowermaiden (Parsifal), Tiny (Paul Bunyan) and Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice) in concert.

Robert Lloyd, Senior Artist with The Royal Opera, returns to the role of Timur which he created in the 1984 production in Los Angeles. He has since sung the role on numerous occasions for The Royal Opera including performances in 1998, 1992, 1990, 1987 and 1986. This is his third role of the Season, having sung Ashby (La fanciulla del West) and Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro).

Armenian bass-baritone Arutjun Kotchinian sings the role of Timur in the second cast. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 2001 as Lodovico (Otello) and returned to sing the role of Count Walter in Luisa Miller and Ferrando (Il trovatore) in 2004. He has previously sung the role of Timur in Hamburg, Cologne and Berlin.

Ping, Pang and Pong are sung in the first cast by Jorge Lagunes, Robin Leggate and Alasdair Elliott respectively. Mexican baritone Jorge Lagunes makes his Royal Opera House debut in the role of Ping. Recent roles include Carlo Gérard (Andrea Chénier), Enrico Ashton (Lucia di Lammermoor) in Washington and Rigoletto in concert in Israel. Robin Leggate returns to the role of Pang, a role which he first sang at Covent Garden in 1989. He has sung over 60 roles for the

32 Company and his recent roles include Spalanzani (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Zorn (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and Ringmaster (The Bartered Bride). Alasdair Elliott made his Royal Opera debut as Ruodi (Guillaume Tell) in 1990. Recent roles with the Company include Andonis (The Greek Passion), Emperor Altoum (Turandot), Andres (Wozzeck), Vogelgesang (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg) and Goro (Madama Butterfly).

The second cast Ping, Pang and Pong are sung by Quentin Hayes and Vilar Young Artists Nikola Matisic and Robert Murray. Quentin Hayes returns to the role of Ping which he sang in 2001, 2002 and 2005. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 2000 in the role of Agravain (Gawain) and his recent roles for the Company include Hermann (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Prince Yamadori (Madama Butterfly), Schaunard (La bohème), Larry Landau (Sophie’s Choice) and Ned Keene (Peter Grimes).

Francis Egerton returns to the role of Emperor Altoum, which he sang at the Royal Opera House in February 2005. He has sung with The Royal Opera for over 30 consecutive Seasons in roles ranging from Beppe (Pagliacci) to Captain (Wozzeck). His more recent roles include Schoolmaster (The Greek Passion), Pásek (The Cunning Little Vixen) and Half-wit (Wozzeck).

DON PASQUALE Gaetano Donizetti

12, 17, 19 July at 7.30pm / 15 July at 1pm / 22 July at 7pm

Supported (2004) by The Royal Opera House Endowment Fund

The final production of the Season is a revival of Jonathan Miller’s Don Pasquale which was first seen at the Royal Opera House in November 2004. Designs are by Isabella Bywater and lighting by Ivan Morandi.

Having previously conducted both the 1990 and 1992 productions of Don Pasquale at Covent Garden as well as the 2004 performances of this production, Bruno Campanella returns once again to conduct. He also conducted The Royal Opera in 2001 in I Capuleti e i Montecchi.

Italian baritone Alessandro Corbelli sings the title role of Don Pasquale, having sung the role of Malatesta in November 2004. He has recently added the role of Don Pasquale to his repertory and has sung the role in Munich and Cagliari. He made his debut with The Royal Opera in 1989 as Taddeo in L’italiana in Algeri and returned to the role in 1993. Other roles for The Royal Opera include Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), Dandini (La Cenerentola) and Michele (Elisabetta ) in concert.

American tenor Eric Cutler makes his Royal Opera House debut in the role of Ernesto. Recent roles include Leopold (La Juive) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Leicester (Maria Stuarda) in Geneva and Alfredo (La traviata). He makes his UK debut at the Glyndebourne Festival as Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) in May 2005.

Polish-born soprano Aleksandra Kurzak sings the role of Norina for the first time. She makes her debut at the Royal Opera House in 2005 singing the role of Aspasia (Mitridate, re di Ponto). She joined the International Opera Studio of the in 2001, where her roles included Blondchen (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte). Recent roles for the Hamburg State Opera include Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro).

33 British baritone sings the role of Doctor Malatesta for the first time. He made his Royal Opera debut in the 1997 Farewell Gala and his roles in the new House have included Sebastian (The Tempest) and Guglielmo (Così fan tutte).

Bryan Secombe, a member of The Royal Opera Chorus, performs the role of Notary.

2005/6 Vilar Young Artists Programme

Six artists will join the VYAP in August 2005: New Zealand soprano Ana James, who trained at the RCM, Russian soprano Marina Poplavskaya, who has been working at the Bolshoi, Swedish/ Croatian tenor Nikola Matisic, who trained at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague, New Zealand tenor Andrew Sritheran, who trained at the RNCM and the NOS, Canadian Bass Robert Gleadow, who has been a member of Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio and British stage director Harry Fehr, a philosophy graduate from Nottingham who has assisted at the ENO, ON, SO and the Royal Opera.

The three singers, conductor and répétiteur who joined the Programme in September 2004 remain on the Programme for a further year: American soprano Katie Van Kooten, Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Liora Grodnikaite, British tenor Robert Murray, British conductor Rory Macdonald and British répétiteur Susanna Stranders. British conductor and répétiteur Oliver Gooch, who joined the Programme in 2004 in a position especially created for him, also remains with the Programme for a second year.

Six singers and the current VYAP director will leave the Programme following a main stage concert on 17 July 2005, having completed their contracts with the VYAP: sopranos Ha Young Lee and Victoria Nava, tenors James Edwards and Andrew Kennedy, baritone Jared Holt, bass Matthew Rose and stage director André Heller-Lopes. Future engagements for these artists include: Jared Holt, Andrew Kennedy and Matthew Rose return to Covent Garden in the 2005/06 season, James Edwards and Andrew Kennedy make their debuts with the ENO and Jared Holt and Matthew Rose join the cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Andrew Kennedy joins Glyndebourne later in the year, for Ferrando Così fan tutte on Tour. Ha Young Lee joins the Hamburg State Opera as a principal artist. André Heller-Lopes directs Le nozze di Figaro for the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro.

In addition to singing some 24 roles in the 2005/06 season the singers will cover 26 roles.

Rory Macdonald conducts Il barbiere di Siviglia on 18 January.

This season’s Meet the Vilars will be held between 17 and 22 October in the Linbury Studio Theatre. The week will include a number of recitals and a staging by Harry Fehr of Die schöne Müllerin with Robert Murray and pianist David Gowland. The main stage Summer Concert will be on Sunday 23 July. All of the singers can be heard in concert throughout the 2005/06 season in the 1.00pm Monday Lunchtime recital series, accompanied by David Gowland.

34 THE ROYAL OPERA SEASON 2005/6 AT A GLANCE

Antonio Pappano conducts 5 productions in his fourth Season as Music Director La fanciulla del West Siegfried Le nozze di Figaro Götterdämmerung Tosca

New Productions Siegfried directed by Keith Warner Il barbiere di Sivigilia directed by Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser Le nozze di Figaro directed by David McVicar Eugene Onegin directed by Steven Pimlott Götterdämmerung directed by Keith Warner Tosca directed by Jonathan Kent

Co - Productions new to the Royal Opera House Maskarade directed by David Pountney (opens at the Bregenz Festival, July 2005) Cyrano de Bergerac directed by Francesca Zambello (opens at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, May 2005)

New Productions (Linbury) A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Olivia Fuchs Il re pastore directed by John Lloyd Davies

First Revivals at the Royal Opera House The Midsummer Marriage premiered January 1996, director Graham Vick Un ballo in maschera premiere April 2005, director Mario Martone Macbeth premiered June 2002, director Wozzeck premiered October 2002, director Keith Warner Le nozze di Figaro premiere January 2006, director David McVicar Don Pasquale premiered November 2004, director Jonathan Miller

Repertoire new to the Royal Opera House Dom Sébastien Gaetano Donizetti Maskarade Carl Nielsen Il re Pastore Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Debuts with The Royal Opera include La fanciulla del West Jack Rance Mark Delavan Sonora Mark Stone Maskarade Leander Michael Schade Leonore Emma Bell The Midsummer Marriage Sosostris Elena Manistina Un ballo in maschera Riccardo Giuseppe Gipali Amelia Nina Stemme A Midsummer Night’s Dream Titania Gillian Keith

35 Starveling Andrew Mayor Il barbiere di Siviglia Don Basilio Raymond Aceto The Bartered Bride Jeník Simon O Neill Le nozze di Figaro Susanna Miah Persson Cherubino Rinat Shaham Wozzeck Wozzeck Johan Reuter Marie Susan Bullock Eugene Onegin Olga Nino Surguladze Filipievna Susan Gorton Götterdämmerung Waltraute Mihoko Fujimura Cyrano de Bergerac Roxane Sondra Radvanovsky Ragueneau Carmelo Corrado Caruso Erwartung The Woman Angela Denoke Le nozze di Figaro Susanna Isabel Bayrakdarian Turandot Ping Jorge Lagunes Don Pasquale Ernesto Eric Cutler

Role debuts include Dom Sébastien Zayda Vesselina Kasarova Abayado Simon Keenlyside Dom Juan de Sylva Alastair Miles Dom Antonio John Upperton Ben-Selim Andrew Slater La fanciulla del West Bello Grant Doyle Jack Wallace Jonathan Lemalu Maskarade Leander Michael Schade Henrik Kyle Ketelsen Jeronimus John Del Carlo The Midsummer Marriage Mark Will Hartmann Jenifer Amanda Roocroft Jack Gordon Gietz Bella Inger Dam-Jensen She-Ancient Diana Montague Un ballo in maschera Ulrica Stephanie Blythe A Midsummer Night’s Dream Bottom Darren Jeffery Helena Katie Van Kooten Demetrius Grant Doyle Lysander Robert Murray Hermia Tove Dahlberg The Bartered Bride Ludmilla Susan Bickely Mícha Jonathan Best Háa Carole Wilson Le nozze di Figaro Marcellina Graciela Arraya Don Basilio Philip Langridge Wozzeck Marie Susan Bullock Eugene Onegin Madame Larina Diana Montague Götterdämmerung Gunther Peter Coleman-Wright Il re Pastore Aminta Katie Van Kooten Elisa Ana James Agenore Robert Murray Cyrano de Bergerac De Guiche Roman Trekel Carbon Clive Bayley

36 Duke Bluebeard’s Castle Judith Christine Rice Tosca Tosca Angela Gheorghiu Cavaradossi Marcelo Alvarez Don Pasquale Norina Aleksandra Kursak Dottore Malatesta Christopher Maltman

Role debuts with The Royal Opera include Dom Sébastien Dom Sébastien Giuseppe Filianoti Camöens Renato Bruson La fanciulla del West Minnie Andrea Gruber Dick Johnson José Cura Siegfried Siegfried John Treleaven Mime Gerhard Siegel Brünnhilde Lisa Gasteen Alberich Peter Sidhom Fafner Phillip Ens Erda Jane Henschel Un ballo in maschera Riccardo Richard Margison Renato Dmitri Hvorostovsky Oscar Rosemary Joshua A Midsummer Night’s Dream Oberon William Towers Hermia Tove Dahlberg Il barbiere di Siviglia Figaro George Petean Rosina Joyce DiDonato Count Almaviva Toby Spence Don Bartolo Bruno Praticò The Bartered Bride Kecal Peter Rose Krušina Donald Maxwell La traviata Giorgio Germont Željko Lučić Le nozze di Figaro Figaro Erwin Schrott Countess Almaviva Dorothea Roschmann Count Almaviva Gerald Finley Don Curzio Francis Egerton Macbeth Macbeth Thomas Hampson Lady Macbeth Violeta Urmana Banquo John Relyea Macduff Joseph Calleja Eugene Onegin Tatyana Amanda Roocroft Lensky Rolando Villazín Götterdämmerung Alberich Peter Sidhom Flosshilde Sarah Castle Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano Plácido Domingo Christian Raymond Very Duke Bluebeard’s Castle Duke Bluebeard Albert Dohmen Judith Petra Lang Tosca Scarpia Bryn Terfel Tosca Catherine Naglestad Cavaradossi Nicola Rossi Giordano Le nozze di Figaro Figaro Kyle Ketelsen Countess Almaviva Soile Isokoski Count Almaviva Michael Volle Cherubino Sophie Koch

37 Turandot Calaf Ben Heppner Timur Arutjun Kotchinian Liù Susan Gritton Don Pasquale Don Pasquale Alessandro Corbelli

Artists returning to their roles with The Royal Opera include La fanciulla del West Sonora Robert Lloyd Nick Francis Egerton Siegfried Wanderer John Tomlinson The Midsummer Marriage King Fisher John Tomlinson The Bartered Bride Ringmaster Robert Tear La traviata Violetta Ana Maria Martinez Alfredo Charles Castronovo Wozzeck Captain Graham Clark Eugene Onegin Eugene Onegin Dmitri Hvorostovsky Tosca Scarpia Samuel Ramey Turandot Turandot Andrea Gruber Calaf Yu Qiang Dai Liù Elena Kelessidi Pang Robin Leggate Timur Robert Lloyd

Conductors Bruno Campanella, Colin Davis, Edward Downes, Mark Elder, Edward Gardner, Daniel Harding, Richard Hickox, Philippe Jordan, Yakov Kreizberg, Charles Mackerras, Kirill Petrenko, Michael Schønwandt, Stefan Soltesz

New Emerging Talent Mark Stone Sonora (La fanciulla del West) Emma Bell Leonore (Maskarade) Kyle Ketelsen Henrik (Maskarade) Johan Reuter title role in Wozzeck Sandra Randvanovsky Roxane (Cyrano de Bergerac) Eric Cutler Ernesto (Don Pasquale) Aleksandra Kurzak Norina (Don Pasquale)

Vilar Young Artists new to the programme 2005/6

Harry Fehr Maskarade, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Stage Director Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, Erwartung

Robert Gleadow Dom Henrique (Dom Sébastien), Bass Count Ribbing (Maskarade) Fiorello (Il barbiere di Siviglia) Marquis d’Obigny (La traviata) Doctor (Macbeth) Zaretsky (Eugene Onegin) Sciarrone (Tosca)

38 Ana James Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro) Soprano Lisa (Cyrano de Bergerac)

Nikola Matisic A Judge (Un ballo in maschera) Tenor Gastone (La traviata) Pang (Turandot – cast B)

Marina Poplavskaya tbc Soprano

Andrew Sritheran Snout (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Tenor

The Royal Opera Performance Dates 2005/6 Season

DOM SÉBASTIEN – in concert UN BALLO IN MASCHERA Gaetano Donizetti Giuseppe Verdi

10 September at 6.30pm, 13 September at 17, 21♥, 25, 29 November at 7pm, 3, 7, 13, 7pm 16 December at 7pm, 10 December at

6.30pm

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

Giacomo Puccini IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA

Gioacchino Rossini 15, 21, 28 September at 7pm, 18 September at 6pm, 24 September at 6.30pm, 1 19, 30 December, 4, 11, 18 January at October at 6.30pm 7.30pm, 21 December at 1pm, 1 January at

3pm, 7, 14 January at 7pm

MASKARADE

Carl Nielsen THE BARTERED BRIDE

Bedřich Smetana 19♥, 22, 26♥, 30 September at 7.30pm, 5, 13 October at 7.30pm, 8 October at 7pm 6, 9, 12, 17, 20 January at 7.30pm, 14 January at 12.30pm

SIEGFRIED Richard Wagner LA TRAVIATA Giuseppe Verdi 2 October at 3pm, 7, 10♥, 14, 18 October at 16, 19, 21, 24, 27, 30 January at 7pm 5pm, 22 October at 4pm

THE MIDSUMMER MARRIAGE

Michael Tippett

♥ 31 October, 3, 8, 11, 16, 18 November at 6.30pm

39 LE NOZZE DI FIGARO TOSCA Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Giacomo Puccini

31 January at 7pm, 2, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 13, 16, 20, 22, 23, 26♥, 27, 29 June, 3♥, 5 22 February at 7pm, 4 February at 12.30pm July at 7.30pm, 24 June at 12.30pm, 1, 8

July at 7pm 19♥, 21, 28, 30 June, 4, 6 July at 7pm, 24 June at 6.30pm, 9 July at 3pm TURANDOT Giacomo Puccini 7, 10♥, 11, 13, 14, 18, 21 July at 7.30pm, 15 MACBETH July at 7pm, 22 July at 1pm Giuseppe Verdi

18 February, 4 March at 7pm, 21, 24 DON PASQUALE February, 1, 6, 9 March at 7.30pm Gaetano Donizetti

12, 17, 19 July at 7.30pm, 15 July at 1pm, WOZZECK 22 July at 7pm Alban Berg

27 February, 2, 7, 10, 13 March at 7.30pm A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Benjamin Britten

EUGENE ONEGIN LINBURY at the Royal Opera House Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky

25, 27, 28, 30 November, 2, 3 December, 16, 20, 22, 24 March, 3, 5 April at 7pm, 8 time to be announced. April at 6.30pm

IL RE PASTORE GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Richard Wagner

17♥, 22 April, 6 May at 4pm, 27 April, 3 LINBURY at the Royal Opera House May at 4.30pm, 30 April at 3pm 11, 13, 20, 22 April at 7.30pm / 15 April at 7pm / 17 April at 4.30pm CYRANO DE BERGERAC Franco Alfano

8, 11, 17, 24 May at 7.30pm, 14 May at 3pm, 27 May at 7pm

DUKE BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE / ERWARTUNG Béla Bartók / Arnold Schoenberg

26, 30 May, 2, 12♥, 15 June at 7.30pm, 10,

17 June at 7pm

40

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE PRESS OFFICE CONTACTS

PRESS OFFICE, ROYAL OPERA HOUSE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON WC2E 9DD

http://www.roh.org.uk

Royal Ballet and Royal Opera Season production photographs are available from ARENA PAL 00 44 (0) 20 7403 8542 [email protected] Ann Richards Head of Opera Press Tel: 020 7212 9132 Fax: 020 7212 9725 [email protected]

Rita Grudzień Press Officer Tel: 020 7212 9149 Fax: 020 7212 9725 [email protected]

Antonio De Stefano Press Office Assistant Tel: 020 7212 9731 Fax: 020 7212 9725 [email protected]

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