Opening Festival
"24h Opernhaus"

Following the spectacular first edition at the beginning of last season, the Zurich Opera House will once again open its doors for an entire night and day this year. To mark the opening premiere of "Die Zauberflöte", the "24h Opernhaus" opening festival will be devoted entirely to the theme of enchantment.

At the start of the season, the Opera House will once again become a place of open encounters and unexpected discoveries for 24 hours. The night begins at 22:00 with concerts and performances, a fourteen-hour piano marathon, guided tours through the building – and the opportunity to spend the night on the main stage.

Programme details to follow.

 

In his 1969 composition for six percussionists, "Persephassa", Iannis Xenakis explores the relationship between space, time and ritual. The title refers to Persephone, the goddess who moves between the upper and underworlds – a figure of transition. The percussionists of the Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House perform the work in a set-up that makes the spatial dimension of sound tangible.

Around midnight, singers Flavia Stricker and Siena Licht Miller present a vocal programme that captures the lyrical, nocturnal atmosphere in a special way, featuring works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Gustav Mahler and others.

One of the highlights is an appearance by composer and DJ Gabriel Prokofiev, whose music will also be heard soon in Cathy Marston’s new ballet evening "Ein Sommernachtstraum". Together with musicians from the orchestra and dancer Jorge García Pérez, Prokofiev performs his works "Breaking Screens" and "Howl!": pulsating beats and ambient sounds meet classical instruments and an energetic solo dance improvisation. Music in the here and now.

Another special event begins at 22:00 in the Spiegelsaal. Erik Satie’s "Vexations" is one of the great curiosities of music history: for a short motif, Satie – probably in 1893 – prescribed a total of 840 repetitions. What begins as an ordeal develops over the course of many hours into a unique artistic experience of remarkable emotional depth. A group of pianists will perform the work at the Zurich Opera House for the first time.

After a yoga session on the main stage, visitors can explore the stage and the rooms of the Opera House from 10:00, including workshops and rehearsal rooms. The artistic programme on the main stage includes a family concert featuring excerpts from "Die Zauberflöte". In a public rehearsal, Zurich Ballet presents excerpts from the new production "Ein Sommernachtstraum". The Chorus offers an insight into preparations for the new season and invites everyone to sing along. Further insights into the work of Zurich Ballet can be experienced on the Studio Stage, while a musical rehearsal for "Die Fledermaus" can be attended at Kreuzplatz.

For this day, Sechseläutenplatz also becomes a stage: open-air dancing with "Bal moderne", a concert by the International Opera Studio and a ballet barre for everyone. The artists of "Die Zauberflöte", as well as members of the Chorus and Orchestra, will be out and about with pop-ups and surprise performances. In the afternoon, visitors can spontaneously showcase their own talents at "CHAOSTAGE" in the Spiegelsaal. The highlight of the day is the public rehearsal of Puccini’s "La rondine", while outside DJ Louis de Fumer gets the party started.