Madame Larina, Olga and the nurse are finishing the party dresses and gossiping about Tatyana’s coming birthday festivities. Madame Larina speculates on the future. Girls from the neighbourhood arrive and play an old folk game: whoever looks into the mirror will see her beloved.
Lensky, a young poet engaged to Olga, arrives with a friend from St Petersburg. He introduces Onegin, who, bored with the city, has come to see if the country can offer him any distraction. Tatyana, full of youthful and romantic fantasies, falls in love with the elegant stranger, so different from the country people she knows. Onegin on the other hand, sees only a coltish girl who reads too many romantic novels.
Scene 2 Tatyana’s bedroom
Tatyana, her imagination aflame with impetuous first love, dreams of Onegin and writes him a passionate love letter, which she gives to the nurse to deliver.
SECOND ACT: Scene 1 Tatyana’s birthday
The provincial gentry have come out to celebrate Tatyana’s birthday. Onegin finds the company boring. Stifling his yawns, he finds it difficult to be civil; furthermore he is irritated by Tatyana’s letter, which he regards merely as an outburst of adolescent love. In a quiet moment, he seeks out Tatyana and, telling her that he cannot love her, tears up her letter. Instead of awakening pity, Tatyana’s distress merely increases his irritation. Prince Gremin, a distant relative, appears. He is in love with Tatyana, and Madame Larina hopes for a brilliant match; but Tatyana, troubled with her own heart, hardly notices her kind relative. Onegin, in his boredom, decides to provoke Lensky by flirting with Olga, who lightheartedly joins in the teasing. But Lensky takes the matter with passionate seriousness. He challenges Onegin to a duel.
Scene 2 The duel
Tatyana and Olga try to reason with Lensky, but his high romantic ideals have been shattered by the betrayal of his friend and the fickleness of his beloved; he insists that the duel take place. Onegin kills his friend.
THIRD ACT: Scene 1 St Petersburg
Years later, Onegin, having travelled the world in an attempt to escape from his own sense of futility, returns to St Petersburg, where he is received at a ball in the palace of Prince Gremin. Gremin has married, and Onegin is astonished to recognise, in the stately and elegant young princess, Tatyana, the uninteresting little country girl whom he once turned away. The enormity of his mistake and loss engulfs him; his life seems even more aimless and empty.
Scene 2 Tatyana’s boudoir
Onegin has written to Tatyana, revealing his love and asking to see her, but she does not wish to meet him. She pleads in vain with her unsuspecting husband not to leave her alone this evening. Onegin comes and declares his love for her. In spite of her emotional turmoil, Tatyana realises that Onegin’s change of heart has come too late. Before his eyes, she tears up his letter and orders him to leave her forever.
Opera in three acts by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written in English by the poet W.H. Auden, is based on a series of eighteenth-century engravings by William Hogarth.
Scene 1
Das Rheingold begins with a 136-bar unmodulating prelude based on the chord of E flat that is meant to represent the eternal unchanging motions of the River Rhine (it is known that Richard Wagner got the tune for the Prelude/Vorspiel of Das Rheingold while being half asleep) and is (Erickson 1975, p.94) the best known drone piece in the concert repetory. The music grows in power, and the curtain rises. At the bottom of the River Rhine, the three Rhinemaidens (Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde) play with one another. Alberich, a Nibelung dwarf, appears from a deep chasm and tries to woo them. Struck by his ugliness, the Rhinemaidens mock his advances, and Alberich grows angry. He notices a golden glow coming from a nearby rock, and asks what it is. The Rhinemaidens tell him about the Rhinegold, which their father had told them to guard: one who renounces love can make out of it a magic Ring, which will let its bearer rule the World. They think they have nothing to fear from the lustful dwarf, but Alberich has been embittered by their mockery. Cursing love, he seizes the gold.
Scene 2
Wotan, ruler of the Gods, is asleep on a mountaintop with Fricka, his wife. Fricka awakes and sees a magnificent castle behind them. She wakes Wotan and points out that their new home has been completed. The giants built the castle on behalf of Wotan, and in exchange Wotan has offered them Freia, the goddess of love. Fricka is worried for her sister, but Wotan is confident that they will not have to give Freia away.
Freia enters, terrified, followed by the giants Fasolt and Fafner. Fasolt demands payment for their finished work. He points out that Wotan's rule is sustained by the treaties carved into his Spear, one of which is his contract with the giants. Donner (god of thunder) and Froh (god of spring) arrive to defend their sister, but Wotan stops them: he cannot stop the giants by force and renege on their agreement.
To Wotan's relief, Loge the fire god makes an entrance; Wotan has been placing his hopes on Loge's cunning finding a way out of the bargain. Loge tells them that Alberich the dwarf has stolen the Rheingold, and made a powerful magic Ring out of it. Wotan, Fricka, and the giants all begin to lust after the Ring, and Loge suggests that they can steal it from Alberich. Fafner demands it as payment instead of Freia. The giants depart, taking Freia with them as hostage.
Freia's golden apples had kept the Gods eternally young; with her absence, they begin to age and weaken. In order to win Freia back, Wotan is forced to follow Loge down into the earth, in pursuit of the Ring.
At this point there is an orchestral interlude that "paints" the descent of Loge and Wotan into Nibelheim. One of the most striking features of the interlude is when the orchestra fades out and gives way to 18 tuned anvils (marked in the score with specific pitches), beating out the Nibelung theme to represent the toiling of the enslaved dwarves.
Scene 3
In Nibelheim, Alberich has enslaved the rest of the Nibelung dwarves. He has forced his brother Mime, a skillful smith, to create a magic helmet, the Tarnhelm. Alberich demonstrates the Tarnhelm's power by turning himself invisible, the better to torment his subjects.
Wotan and Loge arrive and happen upon Mime, who tells them about Alberich's forging of the Ring and the misery of the Nibelung under his rule. Alberich returns, driving his slaves to pile up a huge mound of gold. When they have finished, he dismisses them and turns his attention to the two visitors. He boasts to them about his plans to rule the World. Loge tricks him into demonstrating the magic of the Tarnhelm by transforming into a snake, then a toad. The two gods quickly seize him, and bring him up to the surface.
Scene 4
On the mountaintop, Wotan and Loge force Alberich to exchange his wealth for his freedom. They untie his right hand, and he uses the ring to summon his Nibelung slaves, who bring the hoard of gold. After the gold has been delivered, he asks for the return of the Tarnhelm, but Loge says that it is part of his ransom. Finally, Wotan asks him to surrender the Ring. Alberich refuses, but Wotan seizes it from his finger and puts it on his own. Alberich is crushed by his loss, and before he leaves he lays a curse on the Ring: until it returns to him, whoever does not possess it will desire it, and whoever possesses it will receive unhappiness and death.
Fricka, Donner, and Froh arrive and are greeted by Wotan and Loge, who show them the gold that will ransom Freia. Fasolt and Fafner return, carrying Freia. Reluctant to release Freia, Fasolt insists that there must be enough gold to hide her from view. They pile up the gold, and Wotan is forced to relinquish the Tarnhelm to help cover Freia completely. However, Fasolt spots a final crack in the gold, and demands that Wotan yield the Ring. Wotan refuses, and the giants prepare to abduct Freia.
Suddenly, Erda the earth goddess, the world's wisest woman, appears out of the ground. She warns Wotan of impending doom, and urges him to avoid the cursed Ring. Troubled, Wotan surrenders the Ring and sets Freia free. The giants start dividing the treasure, but they argue over the Ring. Fafner clubs Fasolt to death, and leaves with all the loot. Wotan, horrified, realizes that Alberich's curse has terrible power.
At last, the Gods prepare to enter their new home. Donner summons a thunderstorm to clear the air. After the storm has ended, Froh creates a rainbow bridge that stretches to the gate of the castle. Wotan leads them across the bridge to the castle, which he names Valhalla. Fricka asks him about the name, and he replies that its meaning will be revealed.
Loge, who knows that the end of the Gods is coming, does not follow the others into Valhalla; and, far below, the Rhinemaidens mourn the loss of their gold. The curtain falls.
The opera which is based on a text by René Pollesch will be stage directed by Christoph Schlingensief.
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim Director: Christoph Schlingensief Set Designer: Thomas Goerge Costume Designer: Aino Laberenz Light Designer: Voxi Bärenklau, Olaf Freese Director's Assistance: Anna-Sophie Mahler Chorus Master: Eberhard Friedrich
Friedrichstadtpalast is unique both in terms of its show programme and its sheer dimensions: With more than 2,800 square meters of performance space, it has the largest theatre stage in the world. The theatre located in Berlin-Mitte at Friedrichstrae 107 was reopened in 1984 and is just 5 minutes by foot from Friedrichstrae station.
With over 550,000 visitors annually, it is the number 1 stage in the state of Berlin. The big hall seats 1,895 visitors and has a main-, side-, fore- and backstage, an ice rink, a water basin and platforms. Of this, 2,200 square meters are the stage itself with a further 700 square meters (including a 225 ton water basin), which can be rolled out as required thanks to the theatres highly complex technical equipment.
Friedrichstadtpalast is internationally famous for its outstanding ballet company of 60 women and men, its very versatile palace orchestra and Germanys only childrens revue. The theatres unmistakable and addictive hallmark is its legendary chorus line. The longest in the world, it features 32 beautiful girls with 64 long legs.
The theatres distinct style remains its instinctive ability to marry traditional show elements with modern aesthetics and state-of-the-art high-tech effects. Huge LED banners create a true firework of lights; computer-controlled valves conjure words and pictures from the waters of a curtain of rain, and over 1,200 spotlights as well as ten giant video projectors and 150 moving lights bathe soloists and the ensemble in a sea of colors. However, it would be best to take a backstage tour of Friedrichstadtpalast where you can look behind the scenes and learn everything about the show-palaces more than 100-year history.
Berlin is the Capital city of Germany and the music Capital of continental Europe!
The city has an incredible musical history having played host to many well-known acts, including David Bowie, Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, U2, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Depeche Mode, Marillion, Boney M, Snow Patrol, Kent and Living Things at the legendary Hansa Recording Studios.
In recent times German bands like Rammstein, Wir sind Helden, Sido, Bushido, The Beatsteaks and Seeed have also called Berlin home, as have DJ icons like Paul van Dyk and WestBam.
During the Music Tour of Berlin you will listen to the music, hear the stories and the see the sites related to these artists.
Stung by the criticism of Rattle and Hum, U2 made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction for their seventh studio album, Achtung Baby; the change was one of their most dramatic since The Unforgettable Fire. They began work on Achtung Baby in West Berlin's Hansa Studios in October 1990 with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, seeking inspiration on the eve of German reunification. The sessions instead proved to be difficult, as conflict arose within the group over their musical direction and the quality of their material. While Clayton and Mullen preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, Bono and Edge were inspired by alternative rock and European dance music and advocated a change. Weeks of slow progress, arguments, and tension subsided when the band rallied around a chord progression The Edge had composed to improvise the song "One".
The Music Tour of Berlin also covers the birth of European techno at the Tresor Club and of course the Love Parade, and punk rock venues like the SO36 in Kreuzberg and the Knaack Club in Prenzlauer Berg.
CATS - December 2010 in the new CATS-Theatre in Hamburg.
CATS is quite simply a phenomenon. With magnificent music composed by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber, including the poignant hit song "Memory", an imaginative set, inspired choreography and stunning costumes, CATS is a brilliant song and dance spectacular not to be missed as it makes a triumphant return to Singapore.
It is the best-known and best-loved musical the world has ever known, holding the record of the longest-running musical in West End history having played for 21 years.
In addition CATS played 18 years on Broadway and has been presented in over twenty-six countries, in about three hundred cities, in ten languages.
CATS first opened in London in May 1981 to rave reviews and went on to win a record-breaking number of awards worldwide including two Olivier Awards for 'Musical of the Year' and 'Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Musicals' and seven Tony Awards.
Performance Info
Tuesdays 6:30 PM
Wednesdays 6.30 PM
Thursdays 8.00 PM
Sundays 2.00 PM
Sundays 7.00 PM
Fridays 8.00 PM
Saturdays 3.00 PM
Saturdays 8.00 PM
Closed:
Saturday, 01.01.2011 3.00 PM
Saturday, 01.01.2011 8:00 PM
Wednesday, 05.01.2011 6:30 PM
Thursday, 06.01.2011 8:00 PM
Please exchange voucher at the box office for original tickets.
Search for excellent rent a car deals Dubai, Porto, London, Madrid, Durban, New York, Cork, Kayseri, Crete, Chorley, Alicante, Izmir, Kensington, hire car spain, New Port Geneva, Athens, and Memphis Airport
Discount car Rental, Dubai, UK, US, Greece, Turkey, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Hotel Bookings, York Hotels, Bournmouth Hotel, Liverpool Hotels, Concert Tickets, Sightseeing Tickets, Cork, New York, Beirut and Dublin
