Storytelling is one of the oldest traits of humanity and it will prevail and outlive all AI, chatGPT and smart glasses.
I am pursuing the ultimate art of storytelling in music theater — inspired by magic realism and what connects us all as humans: pure love.
2024
Edgar - version de 4 actes
Giacomo Puccini
- Conductor Daniele Callegari
- Set George Souglides
- Lighting David Debrinay
- Cast
- 9 November 2024 Co-production with Teatro Regio Torino et Carlo Felice di Genoa
- Opera de Nice
Opera de Nice Côte d'Azur
2024
Ulysses
Reinhard Keiser
- Dirigent Clemens Flick
- Ausstattung Madeleine Boyd
- Licht Andreas Rehfeld
- Dramaturgie Thomas Böckstiegel
- Texte Ulrike Schumann
- Cast
- Henryk Böhm
- Jutta Böhnert
- Dora Pavlikovà
- Klaus Brantzen
- NN
- NN
- NN
- 22 March 2024
- Stadttheater Solothurn
2022
Ulysses
Reinhard Keiser
- Dirigent Clemens Flick
- Ausstattung Madeleine Boyd
- Licht Andreas Rehfeld
- Dramaturgie Thomas Böckstiegel
- Texte Ulrike Schumann
- Cast
- Henryk Böhm
- Jutta Böhnert
- Dora Pavlíková
- Andrew Nolen
- Theresa Immerz
- João Terleira
- Manuela Sonntag
- Elena Trobisch
- Klaus Brantzen
- 3 December 2022
2022
Le Amazzone nell'isole fortunate
C. Pallavicino
- Conductor Christophe Rousset - Les Talens
- Lyriques
- Video Marc de Pierrefeu
- Lighting Leo Göbl
- Cast
- Axelle Fanyo
- Marco Angioloni
- Clara Guillon
- Irina Kyshliaruk
- Anara Khassenova
- Eleonore Gagey
- Olivier Cesarini
- 25 June 2022 im Rahmen der Musikfestspiele Postdam Sanssouci
- Schlosstheater Neues Palais Potsdam
2022
Turandot
G. Puccini
- Conductor Chin-Chao Lin
- Stage Mirella Weingarten
- Costumes Raphaela Rose
- Video Martin Andersson
- Lighting Leo Göbl
- Cast
- Camila Ribero-Souza
- Jeffrey Hartman/Deniz Yilmaz
- Anna Pisareva/Theodora Varga
- Young Kwon/Oliver Weidinger
- Frederic Mörth
- Brent L. Damkier
- Jason Lee
- Seymur Karimov
- Christian Schossig
- 20 May 2022
2022
Die Fledermaus
J. Strauss
- Conductor Lucie Leguay
- Choreography Bruno Bouché
- Set Cleo Laigret
- Costumes Lauriane Demissy
- Lights David Debrinay
- Cast
- Benoit Rameau
- Parveen Savart
- Clémence Danvy/Marie Lombard
- Floriane Hasler
- Yeongtaek Seo
- Matthieu Walendzik
- Aymeric Biesemans
- Lancelot Lamotte
- Thais Rai-Westphal
- Sébastien Dutrieux
- 2 March 2022
2021
Macbeth
G. Verdi
- Conductor Sebastiano Rolli
- Design Ashley Martin Davies
- Light Andrew May
- Video Pierre Martin/
- Jerome Huguenin-Virchaux
- Cast
- Stephen Gaertner
- Alexandra Zabala
- Dario Russo
- Elodie Hache
- Carlo Allemano
- Yoann LeLan
- Jonas Yajure
- 2 November 2021
2021
Rusalka
Antonin Dvorak
- Conductor Pavel Baleff
- Set Julia Müer
- Costumes Raffaela Rose
- Lights Bernd Purkrabek/Rick Martin
- Video Martin Andersson
- Cast
- Ruzan Mantashyan
- Adam Smith
- Marie Adeline Henry
- Marion Lebegue
- Rafal Pawnuk
- Marc Scoffoni
- Yete Queiroz
- 29 January 2021 Co-production with Opera du Rhin Strasbourg
2020
Stiffelio
Giuseppe Verdi
- Conductor Michael Balke
- Set Boris Kudlicka
- Costumes Julia Müer
- Light Felice Ross
- Cast
- Dimitris Paksoglou / Mickael Spadaccini
- Annemarie Kremer / Jessica Rose Cambio
- Damiano Salerno / Alexey Bogdanchikov
- Nik Kevin Koch
- Samuli Taskinen / Bozidar Bozhikilov
- Christel Loetzsch
- 26 June 2020
Klosterhof St. Galler Festspiele - CANCELLED- ANNULÉ
2020
Macbeth
Giuseppe Verdi
- Conductor Sebastiano Rolli
- Design Ashley Martin Davis
- Light Andrew May
- Video Pierre Martin
- Cast
- Stephen Gaertner
- Alexandra Zabala
- Dario Russo
- Stephanie Marshall
- Carlo Allemano
- Yoann Le Lan
- Jonas Yajure
- 22 March 2020
Opera de Dijon/Auditorium - CANCELLED/RESCHEDULED - ANNULÉ/REPORTÉ
2019
La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
- Conductor Ainars Rubikis/ Jordan de Souza
- Set Madeleine Boyd
- Costumes Annemarie Woods
- Lighting design Linus Fellbom
- Soundscape Sebastian Lipski
- Video Benjamin Weiß/ Jake Witlen
- Dramaturgy Simon Berger
- Choreography Oren Laszowski
- Cast
- Natalya Pavlova/Vera-Lotte Boecker
- Ivan Magrí/Alexey Neklyudov
- Günter Papendell/Giuseppe Altomare
- Maria Fiselier/Marta Mika
- Marta Mika/Caren van Oiyen
- Philip Mayrhöfer
- Ivan Turšić
- Carsten Sabrowski
- Dániel Foki
- 1 December 2019
2019
Rusalka
Antonin Dvorak
- Conductor Antony Hermus
- Set Julia Müer
- Costumes Raffaela Rose
- Video Martin Andersson
- Lighting design Bernd Purkrabek
- Cast
- Pumeza Matzikisha
- Brian Register
- Rebecca von Lipinski
- Patricia Bardon
- Attila Jun
- Clairen Péron
- Jacob Scharfman
- 18 October 2019 Co-production with Opera de Limoge
Reviews
-
»«
2019
Ariodante
G.F. Händel
- Conductor Ian Page
- Set & Lighting Linus Fellbom
- Costumes Gesine Völlm
- Choreography Caroline Finn
- Cast
- Ann Hallenberg
- Christophe Dumaux
- Roberta Mameli
- Francesca Aspromonte
- Martin Vanberg
- Johannes Weisser
- Olof Lilja
- 3 August 2019
2019
La Wally
Alfredo Catalani
- Dirigent Arvo Volmer
- Bühnenbild Mirella Weingarten
- Kostüme Julia Müer
- Licht Clifton Taylor
- Cast
- Charlotte Ann Shipley
- Ferdinand von Bothmer
- Ashley Martin Prewitt
- Francesca Sorteni
- Francesca Sartorato
- Alessandro Guerzoni
- Enrico Marchesini
- 21 March 2019
2018
Jenufa
Leos Janacek
- Conductor Loukas Karytinos
- Design Georges Souglides
- Licht David Debrinay
- Choreographie Fotis Nicolaou
- Cast
- Sarah Jane Brandon/Maria Mitsopoulou
- Sabine Hogrefe/Julia Souglakou
- Ines Zikou
- Frank van Aken
- Dimitris Paksoglou
- Artemis Bogri
- Margarita Syngeniotou
- Yannis Yannisis
- Dimitris Kassioumis
- Varvara Biza
- Barunka Preisinger
- Miranta Makrynioti
- 14 October 2018
- Greek National Opera
2018
Il corsaro
Giuseppe Verdi
- Conductor Fabio Biondi
- Design George Souglides
- Lightdesign David Debrinay
- Cast
- Michael Fabiano
- Kristina Mkhitaryan
- Oksana Dyka
- Vito Priante
- 28 March 2018
2018
Semiramide
Gioacchino Rossini
- Conductor Giuseppe Grazioli
- Set Madeleine Boyd
- Costumes Julia Müer
- Lightdesign Bernd Purkrabek/Andrew May
- Cast
- Karine Deshayes
- Aude Extremo
- Daniele Antonangeli
- Manuel Nunez-Camelino
- Thomas Dear
- 2 March 2018
2018
Elektra
Richard Strauss
- Conductor Leo Hussein
- Design Luis F. Carvalho
- lightingdesign Nuno Meira
- Cast
- Nadja Michael
- Lioba Braun
- Allison Oakes
- James Rutherford
- Marco Alves dos Santos
- 1 February 2018
- Cultural Center Belem
2017
Francesca da Rimini
Riccardo Zandonai
- Conductor Giuliano Carella
- Design Ashley Martin Davis
- Lightdesign James Farncombe
- Cast
- Saioa Hernandez
- Josy Santos
- Marco Vratogna
- Marcelo Puente
- Tom Randle
- Francesca Sorteni
- Marta Bauzà
- Claire Péron
- Fanny Lustaud
- Idunnu Münch
- Stefan Sbonnik
- Dionysios Tsaousidis
- 8 December 2017
2017
Lakme
Leo Délibes
- Conductor Philippe Auguin
- Set Design Annemarie Legenstein
- Costumes Gesine Völlm
- Lighting Zerlina Hughes
- Video Martin Eidenberger
- Cast
- Svetlana Moskalenko/Beate Ritter
- Leonardo Ferrando
- Taras Shtonda
- Matilda Poulsen
- Julie Mathevet
- Laine Quist
- Jakob Högström
- Maria Streijffert
- Eric Lavoipierre
- 7 October 2017
2017
Semiramide
Gioachino Rossini
- Conductor Domingo Hindoyan
- Set design Madeleine Boyd
- Costumes Julia Müer
- Lighting Bernd Purkrabek
- Cast
- Salome Jicia
- Franco Fagioli
- Matthew Grills
- Nahuel Di Pierro
- Fabrizio Beggi
- Inna Jeskova
- Ju In Yoon
- 2 May 2017
2017
Der Zwerg
Alexander von Zemlinsky
- Conductor Martin André
- Set José Capela
- Costumes Mariana Sa Nogueira
- Lightdesign Rui Monteiro
- Staffproducer Carlos Antunes
- Cast
- Peter Bronder
- Sarah-Jane Brandon
- Dora Rodriguez
- Nuno Pereira
- Carla Caramujo
- Filipa van Eck
- Carolina Figueiredo
- 31 March 2017 — Portuguese premiere
- Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos
2016
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
Vincenzo Bellini
- Conductor Fabio Biondi
- Design Ashley Martin Davis
- Lighting Linus Fellbom
- Choreography Benito Marcellino
- Cast
- Nino Surguladze
- Kristina Mkhitaryan
- Christopher Tiesi
- Igor Gnidii
- Alexander Robin Baker
- 5 November 2016
- — Grieghallen
2016
Written on Skin
George Benjamin
- Conductor Rossen Gergov
- Design Mirella Weingarten
- Lighting Andreas Volk
- Cast
- Vera-Lotte Böcker
- Bernhard Landauer
- Andrew Schroeder
- Anna Werle
- Daniel Ralphsson
- 7 October 2016 — Italian premiere Premio Franco Abbiati 2017 Miglior Regia
2016
Jesu Hochzeit
Gottfried von Einem
- Conductor Jonathan Stockhammer
- Design Annemarie Legenstein
- Lighting Hari Michlits
- Cast
- Boris Grappe
- Frederika Brillembourg
- Ursula Hesse von den Steinen
- Julia Koci
- Annette Schoenmüller
- Marcel Beekman
- Dan Paul Dumitrescu
- 6 August 2016
- Stiftshof Ossiach
2016
A Flowering Tree
John Adams
- Conductor Joana Carneiro
- Design George Souglides
- Lighting Aaron Black
- Choreography Renato Zanella
- Cast
- Jessica Rivera
- Luís Rodrigues
- Shawn Mathey
- 6 April 2016
- Cultural Center Belem
2016
Lohengrin
Richard Wagner
- Conductor Alexander Vedernikov
- Set design George Souglides
- Costumes Julia Müer
- Lighting Aaron Black
- Fights Ran Arthur Braun
- Associate director Natascha Metherell
- Cast
- Steven Humes
- Burkhard Fritz
- Anne Margrethe Dahl
- Yukka Rasilainen/
- Thomas Jesatko
- Tuiija Knihtilä
- Peter Felix Bauer
- 22 January 2016
Video

2015
Boris Godunov
Modest Mussorgski
- Conductor Leif Segerstam
- Set Georges Souglides
- Costumes Julia Müer
- Lightdesign Linus Fellbom
- Cast
- Matti Salminen
- Anna Immonen
- Artem Grutko
- Mika Pohjonen
- Taras Shtonda/Jyrki Korhonen
- Christian Juslin
- Heikki Kilpeläinen
- Giorgi Kirof/Johann Tilli
- Lasse Penttinen
- Vuokko Kekäläinen
- Dan Karlström
- Hilke Andersen
- Heikki Aalto
- 11 July 2015 — Version 1869
2015
Written on Skin
George Benjamin
- Libretto Martin Crimp
- Conductor Otto Tausk
- Design Mirella Weingarten
- Lighting Andreas Volk
- Dramaturgy Alexandra Jud
- Cast
- Evelyn Pollock
- Jordan Shanahan
- Benno Schachtner
- Theresa Holzhauser
- Nik Kevin Koch
- 2 May 2015 — Swiss Premiere
2015
2014
Das Leben am Rande der Milchstrasse
Bernhard Gander
- Text Christa Salchner
- Johannes Heide
- Conductor Simeon Pironkoff
- Design Alix Burgstaller
- Lightdesign Thomas Jelinek
- Cast
- Benjamin Appl
- Nicolas Isherwood
- Theresa Dlouhy
- Anna Hauf
- Bernhard Landauer
- Bibiana Nwobilo
- 1 August 2014 — A Sitcom Opera – World Premiere
- Werkstattbühne Bregenz/Konzerthaus Wien
2014
Thaïs
Jules Massenet
- Conductor Patrick Fournillier
- Design Johan Engels
- Lighting design Linus Felbom
- Cast
- Nino Machaidze
- Plácido Domingo
- Paul Groves
- 17 May 2014
- Los Angeles
2014
Das schlaue Füchslein
Leoš Janáček/Jonathan Dove
- Conductor Attilio Tomasello
- Design Alix Burgstaller
- Lightdesign Rolf Irmer
- Dramaturgy Alexandra Jud
- Cast
- Wade Kernot
- Theresa Holzhauser
- Riccardo Botta
- Matt Boehler
- Jordan Shanahan
- Simone Riksman
- Evelyn Pollock
- Nik Kevin Koch
- Luzian Hirzel
- 19 February 2014 - chamber version
- St.Gallen
2013
2013
Tristan und Isolde
Richard Wagner
- Conductor Jan Latham-Koenig
- Design George Souglides
- Lighting design Aivar Salikhov
- Cast
- Claudia Iten
- Michael Baba
- Anastasia Bibicheva/
- Elena Svechnikova
- Vitaly Efanov/
- Evgeny Stavinsky
- Artyom Garnov/
- Oleg Shagotsky
- Alexander Skvarko
- 19 May 2013 — nominated for the Golden Mask Awards as “Best Production”
- Moskau
2013
2012
Thaïs
Jules Massenet
- Conductor Pedro Halffter
- Design Johan Engels
- Lighting Design Linus Fellbom
- Cast
- Nino Machaidze
- Plácido Domingo
- Antonio Gandía
- Stefano Palatchi
- Micaëla Oeste
- Marifé Nogales
- 25 October 2012
- Sevilla
2012
Les Malheurs d'Orphée / Mahagonny Songspiel
Darius Milhaud / Kurt Weill
- Conductor Jan Latham-Koenig
- Design Nicola Raab
- Lighting Design Victor Zapatero
- Video David Haneke
- Paper Art Humberto Spíndola
- Cast
- Andrew Ashwin
- Irasema Terrazas
- Andrew Rees
- Yvonne Fontane
- Natasha Day
- Josué Cerón
- Andreas Mattersberger
- Lourdes Ambriz
- Adélaïde Rouyer
- Richard Wiegold
- 18 August 2012
- Mexico City
2012
Thaïs
Jules Massenet
- Conductor Patrick Fournillier
- Design Johan Engels
- Lighting Design Linus Fellbom
- Cast
- Malin Byström
- Plácido Domingo
- Paolo Fanale
- Gianluca Buratto
- Micaela Oeste
- Marina Rodríguez-Cusí
- María José Suárez
- 28 March 2012
- Valencia
Reviews
-
»Nicola Raab inszeniert die Oper als innovative Montage« El País
2011
Der Tod und das Mädchen
Alfons Karl Zwicker
- Libretto Daniel Fuchs
- Conductor Jonathan Stockhammer
- Design Alix Burgstaller
- Video David Haneke
- Lighting Design Andreas Volk
- Dramaturgy Magdalena Zorn
- Cast
- Frances Pappas
- Andreas Scheibner
- Hans-Jürgen Schöpflin
- 17 September 2011 — Swiss Premiere
- St. Gallen
Reviews
-
»…verstörte, fesselte und faszinierte…« Zürichsee Zeitung more…»…eine packende szenische Lösung für das in jeder Hinsicht gewaltige Werk.« St. Galler Tagblatt »St. Gallen verstört« Bündner Tagblatt
Video

2011
Parsifal
Richard Wagner
- Conductor Arvo Volmer
- Co-director Ran A. Braun
- Design Robert Innes Hopkins
- Lighting Design Davy Cunningham
- Cast
- Richard Decker/Roman Sadnik
- Irmgard Vilsmeier/Magdalena A. Hofmann
- Manfred Hemm/Richard Wiegold
- Eike Wilm Schulte/Rauno Elp
- Martin Winkler
- 25 August 2011 — Estonian premiere as part of Tallinn Cultural Capital of Europe, Noblessner foundry in the harbour of Tallinn
Reviews
-
»This approach worked and created the atmosphere of metaphysical barrenness.« Mike Amundsen on EPB News more…»The partially preserved Art Nouveau elegance, the powerful Stalker effect of the grimy halls and the amazing sound offered a great variety of options that even Pirita Convent could not have provided. (...)
Nicola Raab wants to show us the end of the era of an industrial society, leaving us with the question of whether the new generation is able to keep watering its garden until the wounds inflicted on the nature heal like the body of Amfortas. Silvery pipes rust away, the Knights carry their pieces like memories, at the same time covering the metal with a white towel.« Klaus Billand for parsifal estonia
Video

2010
Il barbiere di Siviglia
Gioacchino Rossini
- Conductor Arne Willimczik
- Design Benita Roth
- Lighting Design Wanja Ostrower
- Cast
- Francis Bouyer/
- Seymur Karimov
- Jasmin Etezadzadeh/
- Misaki Ono
- Iurie Ciobanu
- Ruben Gerson
- Sung-Heon Ha
- Ruth Müller/
- Theodora Varga
- 18 December 2010
- Regensburg
Reviews
-
»Eine tolle Aufführung, die man nicht versäumen darf!« Julia Hanekker in der Rundschau more…»Was diese Produktionen in ihrer ganzen Unterschiedlichkeit verbindet, ist Raabs grenzüberschreitende Leidenschaft fürs Musiktheater jenseits der Kategorien von U- und E-Musik.« Hermann Weiß in der Welt am Sonntag »Vom Geist der Leichtigkeit durchweht. Die Regensburger Inszenierung (…) ist absolut hörens- und sehenswert. Ein Genius der Leichtigkeit durchweht die Premierenaufführung im Haus am Bismarckplatz. Schwerelos dahinschwebend wie Seifenblasen setzt sich das aus Intrigen und Liebeshändeln gewirkte Spiel in Gang. Kein derber Klamauk wird hier getrieben, vielmehr sorgen leichtgeschürzte Pointen und Gags immer wieder für Heiterkeit im Publikum, das ganz adäquat reagiert nicht mit lauten Gelächter, sondern mit verhaltenem Kichern und Glucksen. Man erlebt einen Theaterabend im Geiste von Rossinis spritziger Musik, bei dem die Szene stets im Detail auf die Töne aus dem Orchestergraben reagiert, (…) Einhelliges Urteil des Publikums. Dieser neue ›Barbier von Sevilla‹ macht dem Regensburger Theater Ehre, und verdient das Prädikat absolut sehens- und hörenswert.« Gerhard Dietl in der Mittelbayerische Zeitung
2010
Thaïs
Jules Massenet
- Conductor Jan Latham-Koenig
- Design Johan Engels
- Lighting Design Linus Fellbom
- Cast
- Malin Byström
- Thomas Lander
- Tomas Lind
- 27 February 2010
- Göteborg
Reviews
-
»
…a theatre-experience that gives you
« Sofia Nyblom in Svenska dagbladet more…
goose bumps»Opera for body and soul. In Nicola Raab’s (…) production the story is moved from fifth century Egypt to Paris and the time when the opera was written. This enhances the degradation from theatrical luxury to desert and impoverished nakedness as well as it sharpens the purpose typical of its time the unmasking of the ego. The scene when Thaïs leaves behind her creative existence and steps out of her boudoir, in which she has been completely emerged (you can almost not tell where she ends and the interior begins), is also one of many magically beautiful moments. Breath-taking! The final phrases cut through everything such as mirrors and names and contours—in order for something else to appear. A human being in all her undefined fullness. Let us call her Thaïs.« Martin Nyström in Dagens Nyheter
Video

2009
Owen Wingrave
Benjamin Britten
- Conductor Daniel Hoyem Cavazza
- Design Anne-Marie Legenstein
- Lighting Design Michael Hofer
- Cast
- Andrew Ashwin
- Brian Galliford
- Astrid Hofer
- Craig Smith
- Ingrid Habermann
- Rika Shiratsuki
- Paul Schweinester
- Ewa Biegas
- Tobias Margiol
- 23 May 2009 — Austrian Premiere
- Wien
Reviews
-
»Das begeisterte Publikum erhielt einen unverstellten Blick auf die Geschichte. Bravo!« Markus Hennerfeind in Wiener Zeitung more…»Director Nicola Raab and designer Anne Marie Legenstein have set the work within a group of abstract, sliding grey monoliths, which give it a military feel but also suggest the coldness of Paramore, the Wingrave mansion, and overwhelming claustrophobia. The ghost of the dead child haunts Owen, clutching his legs. With a quick movement of the monoliths, we are in Coyle’s schoolroom, dripping with toy soldiers, or in a park, or any number of locations in Paramore. A dinner table scene is effectively suggested with the cast standing in a line, each holding silver serving items (Sir Philip wields a carving knife and fork), while Owen remains empty handed, palms outstretched and upturned. Locked inside one of the monoliths, the dead Owen is revealed clad only in a loincloth, suggestive of a Michelangelo Pietà. It seems that Owen’s time has come.« Larry Lash on musicalamerica.com »Eine Rarität, die unter die Haut geht. Brittens ›Owen Wingrave‹ überzeugt in der Kammeroper.« Opal/Kurier »Essentielle Konfrontation mit dem Mut des Widerstands - mit fast 40 Jahren Verspätung endlich in Wien Benjamin Brittens ›Owen Wingrave‹ in einer exemplarischen Aufführung. Der (...) Abend beeindruckte das Publikum zu recht tief. Er ist in hohem Masse sehenswert.« Renate Wagner in Neues Volksblatt
2008
MarathonFamily
Isidora Zebeljan
- Conductor Premyl Petrovic
- Fights Ran A. Braun
- Design Duncan Hayler
- Lighting Design Christian Weisskircher
- Cast
- Marcel Beekman
- Martin Winkler/Robert Pertl
- Marco Disapia
- Walter Raffeiner
- Andreas Jankowitsch
- Jovita Sip
- Karin Golz
- Alfred Werner
- Ran A. Braun
- 13 August 2008 — World premiere at Bregenz Festival, Werkstattbühne
- Jugoslav Drama Theatre Belgrade Neue Oper Wien, Halle E Museumsquartier Wien
Reviews
-
»
Mad and atrocious
« Süddeutsche Zeitung more…»Brilliant, full of ideas and coherent, Nicola Raab put this creepy opera on the workshop-stage, at best supported by designer Duncan Hayler. Perturbed by the story, but delighted by the music, the staging and the performers, one emerges from this world premiere.« Neue Vorarlberger Tageszeitung »Nicola Raab’s production, with every detail perfect, is tangy and fast, the grumpy characters scarily alive; at least up to the final showdown, when the whole nightmarishly beautiful set collapses altogether and turns into a graveyard. Across the sky flickers a film of the marriage of the 2 lovers that will never take place. A magical opera that makes you hear, see and laugh.« Liechtensteiner Volksblatt »A Vile, Idiotic Opera The Marathon Family, a new opera buffa by Serbian composer Isidora Žebeljan, contains perhaps the most vile, reprehensible, disgusting, idiotic and amoral characters and plot in operatic history, and I loved ever one of its 88 uninterrupted minutes. Also starring were Duncan Hayler’s set, and Nicola Raab’s direction, together a stage-manager’s nightmare.« musicalamerica.com
2008
A Flowering Tree
John Adams
- Conductor John Adams
- Choreography Renato Zanella
- Design George Souglides
- Lighting Design Aron Black
- Cast
- Natasha Jouhl
- Noah Stewart
- Sanford Sylvan
- 14 May 2008 — first fully stagedUS premiere
- Harris Theater Chicago
Reviews
-
»It is a beautiful story with some of Adams’s most beautiful music. He has also finally found a director, Raab, who matches his aesthetic.« chicagocritic.com more…»If all this was gorgeous to behold, it would not have impacted us as strongly as it did without Nicola Raab’s masterful direction. First, without ever unduly cluttering the stage, Ms. Raab has devised meaningful and poetic movement for the large chorus and corps de ballet.« operatoday.com »…beautiful, richly colored stage pictures at the hands of director Nicola Raab, whose "Beatrice and Benedict" last season for COT was also lovely to look at, and set and costume designer George Souglides. The transformation scenes are first hypnotic visual poetry. And choreographer Renato Zanella has found wonderful ways to animate Adams' score onstage with nine gifted dancers.
There are two beautiful streams of artistic creation here…«
Chicago Suntimes
2008
Scherz, Satire, Ironie und tiefere Bedeutung
Detlev Glanert
- Libretto Jörg W. Gronius
- Conductor Walter Kobéra
- Choreography Nikolaus Adler
- Design Benita Roth
- Lighting Design Norbert Chmel
- Cast
- Bernhard Landauer
- Michael Spyres
- Magdalena Anna Hofmann
- Heidi Wolff
- Rupert Bergmann
- Andreas Jankovitch
- Camillo dell’Antonio
- Alfred Werner
- Thomas Tatzl
- 19 February 2008 — Austrian premiere
- Halle E Museumsquartier Wien
Reviews
-
»a spirited production by Nicola Raab« Die Presse more…»Nicola Raab’s production full of temperament makes fun of the essential ingredients of the history of theatre with aplomb… the audience laughs. But it’s no comfortable delight.« Opernwelt »Nicola Raab’s job it is to reduce this piece to a common denominator, and in the first half she succeeds mainly by means of irony, in the second half, when chaos is starting to dominate the plot, quite simply through her readiness for total absurdity.« Der Neue Merker
2007
Béatrice et Bénédict
Hector Berlioz
- Conductor Jan Latham-Koenig
- Design Johan Engels
- Lighting Design Adam Silverman
- Cast
- Joseph Kaiser
- Sandra Piques Eddy
- Paul Corona
- Jurgita Adamonyte
- Matthew Worth
- Joshua Blum
- 23 May 2007
- Harris Theater Chicago
Reviews
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»like stars on a summer night« John von Rhein in Opera Magazine more…»For any opera company staging Berlioz’ elusive Beatrice et Benedict, the trick is keeping the audience’s sympathy for the squabbling lovers in keen dramatic focus while allowing the refinement of this magical score to twinkle around them like stars on a summer night. Chicago opera theatre’s new production, (…), carried off this delicate juggling act very nicely. Nicola Raab updated the action to Sicily at the end of World War II, (…). The director’s primary innovation was to replace the sung recitatives of the original with spoken dialogue taken directly from Shakespeare’s ›Much Ado About Nothing‹, on which the opera is based. The singers had no trouble switching between sung French and spoken English.« John von Rhein in Opera Magazine
2007
Artaxerxes
Leonardo Vinci
- Conductor Huw Rhys James
- Set-design Reinhard Taurer
- Costumes Linda Redlin
- Lighting Design Stefan Pfeistlinger
- Cast
- Andrew Watts
- Marianne Gesswagner
- Romeo Cornelius
- Roman Sadnik
- Elena Copons
- Gottfried Falkenstein
- 14 February 2007 — Austrian premiere and first performance since 1746 Exhibitionhall Semperdepot, Academy of Fine Arts
- Wien
Reviews
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»Hitverdächtig!« Karl-Heinz Roschitz in Kronenzeitung more…»Ebenso grossen Antiel Am sieg des Werkes hat die Regisseurin Nicola Raab (…); sie hat Respekt vor dem Libretto, den Figuren, ihrer Geschichte. Sie rezitative werden mit einer Intensität gespielt als handle es sich um Theater, für die Arien gibt sie den Protagonisten Zeit, die volle Bandbreiet der Emotionen zu entwickeln.« Dr. Renate Wagner in Vorarlberger Nachrichten
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