Ariadne auf Naxos playfully combines two very different art forms: tragic opera and romantic farce. The result is a richly textured work that examines the role of art in society, and contrasts true love with cheerful promiscuity.
Originally by Strauss, Christof Loy’s eye-catching production draws on an eclectic range of styles, from 18th-century elegance to 1980s grunge. The opera is filled with passion and colour, from the intense lyricism of the Composer’s paean to music and the richly scored love duet for Ariadne and Bacchus, to Zerbinetta’s show-stopping aria ‘Großmächtige Prinzessin’.
