The Royal Danish Theatre will stage a new production of Don Carlo for the first time in 25 years. The performance will be directed by Artistic Director Kasper Bech Holten, who focuses on the political dimension of the epic story about a father and son and their struggle to escape the legacy of their forefather, Charles V.
It is furthermore a tale of power – what it does to a man who finds himself isolated on the pinnacle of power in a totalitarian system in which he has himself lost faith.
The performance will feature several of the Royal Danish Opera’s celebrated soloists. Performing the role as the tormented King Philip is Stephen Milling, who has recently performed alongside Placido Domingo in the role of Hunding in the Covent Garden staging of Wagner’s Die Walküre. The woeful Queen Elisabetta will be performed by Iréne Theorin, who less than a month ago substituted Lisa Gasteen at short notice in the role as Brünnhilde in the Covent Garden production of Siegfried, a role she is also set to perform at the Semperoper production of Der Ring des Nibelungen in 2008.
The title role as Don Carlo will be performed by Austrian tenor Nikolai Schukoff, who currently appears in the Royal Danish Theatre’s Les contes d’Hoffmann. Also performing is the 2003 winner of the Cardiff Singer of the World competition, Tommi Hakala, who will perform as Rodrigo, in addition to Christian Christiansen, Tina Kiberg, John Lundgren, Randi Stene, Susanne Resmark and Sten Byriel among others. To access the complete cast list, click here.
Conducting the Royal Danish Orchestra and the Royal Danish Opera Chorus is Chief Conductor Michael Schønwandt, who has conducted a great many of Verdi’s operas at the Royal Danish Opera, including Don Carlo, Un ballo in maschera, Il trovatore, Rigoletto, Falstaff, Otello and Simon Boccanegra.
Steffen Aarfing has created the set and costume designs. Lighting design is in the hands of Jesper Kongshaug, and Beate Willma is the dramaturge. -- www.kglteater.dk
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