SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 14th October (EUROPA PRESS) –
This Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., the Tenerife Auditorium will host the premiere of Richard Strauss’s ‘Ariadne auf Naxos,’ an in-house production that marks the commencement of the Ópera de Tenerife subscription season. The subsequent performances, all starting at the same time, are scheduled for Thursday and Saturday in the Symphony Hall.
This opera, consisting of a prologue and one act, is inspired by the mythological tale of Ariadne, who is forsaken by her lover Theseus on the Greek island of Naxos, shortly after aiding him in vanquishing the minotaur. Characters from the commedia dell’arte, led by Zerbinetta – portrayed by soprano Serena Sáenz – will enliven the narrative surrounding the princess, a principal role taken on by soprano Irina Churilova, who ultimately encounters the god Bacchus, played by tenor Michal König. The role of composer will be represented by mezzo-soprano Na’ama Goldman.
The other singers participating in this production include soprano Marie Lombard (Najade, water nymph), mezzo-soprano Claire Gascoin (Dryade, land nymph), soprano María Miró (Echo, air nymph), baritone Nikolay Borchev (Harlequin and music teacher), tenor Emmanuel Faraldo (Scaramuccio and an officer), bass Francesco Leone (Truffaldin and footman), tenor Paul Schweinester (Brighella and dance instructor), actor Giulio Cervi (the butler), and bass Aleksandr Utkin (the hairdresser). The ensemble features performers Joan Carlos Expósito, Daniel Marrero, Jonatan Fernández, and Saulo Trujillo, as well as children Jorge Hernández and Raúl Aladrén.
The music will be provided by the Tenerife Symphony, conducted by Diego Martin-Etxebarria. Nicola Berloffa, the director of this production, notes the challenge “of creating two operas in one,” and has devised a setting that “commences in a Viennese palace during the First World War and transitions to a mythical era, overtaking the first stage with desert sand.” Valerio Tiberi is responsible for the lighting, while the scenery, crafted by Andrea Belli, is 8 meters high and 18 meters long, featuring 120 hand-made moldings.
In this new season, ticket prices for the Tuesday and Thursday performances are set at 100 euros and 150 euros for Saturday. Individuals under 30 years of age can still acquire a subscription for just 20 euros. Discounts are also available for large families and wheelchair users with an accompanying individual. Individual tickets for tomorrow’s and Thursday’s performances can be purchased for 30 euros, and 50 euros for Saturday; tickets for those under 30 years of age will be 10 euros.
Alongside Ariadne auf Naxos, the subscription titles include Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini (November), produced by the Teatro Comunale di Modena; La bella Susona by Alberto Carretero (December), a co-production between Auditorio de Tenerife and the Teatro de la Maestranza; Giovanna d’Arco by Giuseppe Verdi (March), a collaboration between the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía; and Parsifal, a symphonic-choral synthesis in three acts by Pedro Halffter (June), an adaptation of Wagner’s work for choir and orchestra.
To enhance access to these performances, the Cabildo has introduced an Opera Shuttle that offers free transport to shows held on Saturdays. Two TITSA buses will depart at 5:15 p.m. from the south (Adeje) and from the north (Buenavista), both heading to the Tenerife Auditorium. After each event, there will be a 15-minute interval before the buses resume their return journey.
To use this service, it is necessary to obtain a bus ticket, which is acquired in conjunction with the show; instead of selecting a fare, one must choose the name of the stop where they will board. Whether you already have a ticket for the performance or you have not yet purchased one, it is essential to collect this invitation to be able to board the Shuttle. Spaces are limited and will be available for the Lanzadera opera until the day before the show at 3:00 p.m.
Ópera de Tenerife is an initiative by the Island Council, facilitated through Auditorio de Tenerife, and is supported by the Canary Institute of Cultural Development of the Government of the Canary Islands and the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music INAEM of the Government of Spain.
