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Göteborg Opera 2021/2022 autumn season
Göteborg Opera 2021/2022 autumn season
Productions from August 2021 to January 2022.
Opera productions by national and international directors, groundbreaking dance with an emphasis on female artists, and a newly composed musical based on Swedish artist Håkan Hellström’s music. After more than a year of empty auditoriums and deserted foyers, the Göteborg Opera is now focusing on repertoire for all ages – world premieres and revivals, grandiose productions and small-scale performing art projects. The season kicks off with Salutations!, a festive concert including pieces requested by the audience.
Christina Björklund, CEO:
“It feels very special to welcome you again after this unusual period. During the pandemic, we focused on digital performances instead of face-to-face encounters. We’ve made good use of the time and have taken big digital steps forward. But of course it’s particularly wonderful that we can now look forward to getting together again, on our stages in Göteborg and Skövde and on our regional and international tours. We know our audiences have missed us as much as we have missed them.”
OPERA, MUSICALS & CONCERTS
Our first opera this season is a new production of Rossini’s comedy Il barbiere di Siviglia directed by Rodula Gaitanou. Next up is a long-awaited revival of Puccini’s Tosca directed by Lorenzo Mariani. The Göteborg Opera’s production of Wagner’s epic Der Ring des Nibelungen (the “Ring Cycle”) culminates with the final opera in the cycle, Götterdämmerung, which opens in December.
Soprano Kerstin Avemo will perform solo on the Small Stage in Schoenberg's Pierrot lunaire, directed by Annika Lindqvist. Two smaller productions go on tour in Västra Götaland: the newly written musical story Boye & Hörberg and the mini-operetta Champagne Tears with music by Offenbach.
Kärlek skonar ingen (“Love spares no one”), a new musical by Victoria Brattström, Simon Ljungman, Håkan Hellström and Mirja Unge, sees its world premiere in October. Based on Håkan Hellström’s songs, it also features new music composed by Hellström specially for the musical. The cast includes well-known performers. The Göteborg Opera Chorus and Orchestra will also take part, as well as guest musicians in a rock band on stage. The show is directed by Victoria Brattström. Kärlek skonar ingen is funded by a donation from the Sten A Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture.
Let the voice be heard is a concert celebrating 100 years of women’s suffrage. In connection with the concert, peripheral activities will be organised on the theme “What are you prepared to campaign for today?”. Other concerts include our traditional Twelfth Night concert and ball.
Henning Ruhe, Artistic Director Opera/Drama:
“We all know that unique feeling… when the hall gets dark, when we feel this electricity going through the auditorium… and then… the unpredictable follows. Every note, every bar, is a surprise. No feeling can be compared to sitting together with other people in a hall and being united by this shared experience: we all go through the same yet each of us feels something different and unique. We have waited for over a year to finally be able to share this irreplaceable privilege again. The season 2021/2022 is more meaningful to us than ever before - for when the house reopens, the hearts of our audiences can finally open and we will together experience why music can do what nothing else can - bring us close to ourselves and to each other.
DANCE
The dance season begins with Hurricane by Yoann Bourgeois. The work had its world premiere in spring 2020, but after just one performance the opera house had to shut down due to the pandemic. Now the show is back in a new, extended version which will go on tour in Europe. The performances at the Göteborg Opera in August are presented in collaboration with Gothenburg Dance and Theatre Festival.
Unfold is a dance double bill of two world premieres: Continuim by Paul Blackman and Christine Gouzelis and a new work by Sharon Eyal. Dior’s Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri is creating the costumes for Eyal’s work. The creation is already booked for several international guest appearances.
The dance evening and world premiere of Here not Here consists of two parts: a walking performance through the Opera House and a performance on the Main Stage. Created by award-winning choreographer Maxine Doyle and internationally acclaimed artist Es Devlin. Devlin collaborates with museums and galleries worldwide, and has worked with La Scala, Beyoncé, U2 and The Weeknd, among many others.
Katrín Hall, Artistic Director Dance:
“Never before have we looked ahead to a new season with such hope and humility. Culture is a fundamental part of life and society, and we can’t wait to be reunited with our audience and share our art. We’ll fill the 2021/2022 season with uncompromising, bold ground-breaking dance performances with an emphasis of female artists.
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
This autumn has a wide repertoire in store for children and young people. Choreographer Carl Olof Berg’s new dance work Astronaut with GöteborgsOperans Danskompani will be performed in school classrooms for students aged 10–13. The Ministry of Unresolved Feelings by Jo Strømgren will be revived and performed for upper secondary school students in the region. The Ministry is a co-production with Jo Strømgren Kompani. This year’s Christmas cheer is assured with the newly composed family musical Tinsel and Tumult on the Main Stage.
SKAPA, for all ages
The Göteborg Opera will host three Skapa Days including performances, Friday Chill Out, Open Stage and much more. The Göteborg Opera’s Skapa activities are targeted at children, young people and families, co-creation and participation.
Malin Aghed, head of Skapa:
“A Skapa event includes ready performances as well as engaging experimental projects that everyone can take part in. In our Opera in Schools initiative, we meet children and young people throughout Västra Götaland, and our accessible Relaxed Performances welcome you with open arms. We’re convinced that art evolves when everyone has a chance to participate.”
For more information, see opera.se
Tickets for Il barbiere di Siviglia, Tosca and Let the Voice be Heard will be released on 17 June.
Next ticket release date: 2 September.
Press photos here: Pressbilder Säsong 21/22 (qbank.se)
More detailed information on spring productions will be presented later on.
For more information and interviews, please contact press@opera.se
Premiere dates 2021/2022
15 August Salutations! (concert)
21 August Hurricane – dance work by Yoann Bourgeois
29 August Il barbiere di Siviglia – opera by Rossini
4 September Boye & Hörberg – music theatre piece by Ingahlill Wagelin and Per Larsson
18 September Tosca – opera by Puccini
23 September Astronaut – dance; creation by Carl Olof Berg – school performances
9 October Kärlek skonar ingen – musical by Victoria Brattström, Simon Ljungman, Håkan Hellström and Mirja Unge
14 October Let the voice be heard (concert)
30 October Unfold – dance; creation by Sharon Eyal and Continuim by Christine Gouzelis och Paul Blackman
Week 44 Skapa Days
16 November The Ministry of Unresolved Feelings – dance work by Jo Strømgren
5 December Götterdämmerung – opera by Wagner
11 December Tinsel and Tumult – new Christmas musical for the whole family
5 January Twelfth Night Concert and Ball
21 January Here not here – dance; creation by Maxine Doyle and Es Devlin
29 January Champagne Tears – performance with operetta music by Offenbach
19 February Herr Arnes penningar (Mr Arne’s Money) – opera by Gösta Nystroem
Week 7 Skapa Days
18 March D and A – dance; creations by Damien Jalet and Alan Lucien Øyen
Week 15 Skapa Days
14 April Rigoletto – opera by Verdi
7 May Viva la mamma – opera by Donizetti
20 May Dance Festival
22 May Astronaut – dance work by Carl Olof Berg – public performance
28 May Existence – chorus piece by John Barber, Hazel Gould and Susanna Lindmark
3 June Tvåornas kör (concert)
Premiere dates to be announced
Filter – music theatre piece by Jacob Andréas, Rudina Hatipi and Micaela Sjöstedt
Pierrot lunaire – by Arnold Schönberg
Chamber concerts
Coffee Cantata – cantata by J.S. Bach
Relaxed performances
Open House
Spotlight – the Göteborg Opera’s talk show