An opera commissioned to celebrate the 250th anniversary of a historic theatre premieres in Stockholm, Sweden. The theatre is located on the grounds of the royal palace.
The Drottningholm Palace Theatre in Stockholm celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2016.
Known in Swedish as Drottningholms Slottsteater, the theatre is reputedly the only theatre in the world still using hand-operated 18th century stage machinery on a regular basis.
Thirty of the original 18th Century sets have also survived.
There are opera and ballet performances from May through September. Guided tours are offered during summer and fall.
The theatre’s reputation has been blossoming in recent years. An opera festival each summer focuses on works by Haydn, Handel, Gluck, and Mozart.
The Royal Swedish Opera sometimes performs there.
Other important Stockholm performance venues for classical music include Berwaldhallen, Folkoperan, Musikaliska, the Royal Opera House, and the Stockholm Concert Hall.
Rococo Machine
An opera in which the theatre plays a principal role was commissioned in celebration of the theatre’s sestercentennial.
Entitled The Rococo Machine, the two-act opera was composed by Jan Sandström with a libretto by Tuvalisa Rangström.
The opera is performed in Swedish with surtitles in English. It runs 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission.
- Conductor – David Stern
- Director – Stina Ancker
- Choreographer – Dorte Olesen
- Costume designer – Kajsa Larsson
- Lighting designer – Tobias Hallgren
The Rococo Machine premieres on Tuesday 7 June 2016. There will be performances on 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 19 June.
Don Giovanni, Part 2 of Mozart’s Da Ponte-Trilogy will be staged from 13 to 27 August.
Looks like I’m going to miss out on both! My trip to Stockholm is sandwiched in between the two events. I’m spending the entire month of July there.
Jubilee Show
Further digging turned up good news! A Jubilee Show will run daily from 12 to 23 July 2016 from 4 to 5 pm.
There will be scenery changes, music, and history, showing off the theatre’s stage machinery at work .
A dozen or so stage hands will change sets, with waves billowing upstage and the clouds descending from the ceiling.
There will be narration by Carl Ivinger with singing by mezzo-soprano Karolina Blixt accompanied by Anna Paradiso on the harpsichord.
Drottningholm Palace
The theatre is situated within the grounds of Drottningholm Palace, which is set amid a Baroque garden.
Dating back to the 17th Century, the palace has been the official the residence of the Swedish Royal Family since 1981.
The palace is one of only three UNESCO World Heritage site in Stockholm.
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Where
Drottningholm Palace, 178 02 Drottningholm, Stockholm, Sweden. Telephone: +46 (0) 402 62 80. Webpage: Drottningholm Palace