Jules Massenet: Werther

With Werther, it is clear why Robert Carsen had to stage this opera. Theatrical material at its finest, as if tailor-made for the Canadian director, who works very often in France and whose stage language is understood all over the world. His Ring des Nibelungen, produced in Cologne, was presented not only in Shanghai, but also at the EXPO. We can expect this Werther to be a theatrical celebration as well, featuring highly melodious arias that you feel like whistling right away, a musical fate theme that gradually unfolds its oppressive power, and a narrative sophistication that can be counted on to captivate us. The opera begins and ends with a Christmas carol sung by children – except that at the end, the joy of the children is offset by Werther's death music, a surreal effect that the listener can scarcely resist.

In French with German and English surtitles.