UK PREMIERE (BEST NEW OPERA nominee, INTERNATIONAL OPERA AWARDS)
Libretto by Lutz Hübner and Sarah Nemitz
What happens to an artist's work after their death? Who controls the narrative?
This opera begins with the death of Richard Wagner and spans forty years of history. We witness the Wagner family's determination to construct the myth of the composer, their brutal infighting and their disturbing political affiliations, reflecting the wider crisis in German politics in the first three decades of the twentieth century.
This major new opera by the Israeli-born composer Avner Dorman, with a libretto by acclaimed German playwrights Lutz Hübner and Sarah Nemitz, will receive its UK premiere at Longborough in 2025. The world premiere was presented alongside the Karlsruhe Ring in 2017 and was nominated for a prestigious International Opera Award in the Best New Opera category.
Musically, Dorman’s sound world has affinities with Kurt Weill and Dmitri Shostakovich. Biting satirical writing gives way to lyrical arias and powerful choruses, while the action is propelled relentlessly forwards by the virtuosic percussion-heavy score.
It will be conducted by Justin Brown (Die tote Stadt 2022), who commissioned the opera as the Music Director of Karlsruhe State Theatre. Longborough’s production will feature a cast of leading British singers including Susan Bullock CBE as Cosima Wagner, and Mark Le Brocq as Houston Stewart Chamberlain, and will be directed by our artistic director Polly Graham.
“Attending the world premiere in 2017 was a profoundly moving experience. Presenting this opera about the Wagner family here feels especially fitting, as Longborough is often regarded as the British Bayreuth.”
Music Director Anthony Negus
Praise for Wahnfried:
"Seeing this opera half way through a Ring Cycle was like tasting an astringent sorbet between the courses of a heavily sauced Wagnerian banquet. A timely antidote to immersion in the Wagner ethos and warning of the ever present threats of populism, hatred and intolerance" - Bachtrack
"Avner Dorman's music-dramatic talent is striking throughout ... Justin Brown conducted Wahnfried as a masterpiece with dedication, burning intensity, and perfection in sound" - Opernwelt
"There are "beautiful" arias, sweeping choirs, nostalgically noble string writing, and thundering drum rattles and brass opulence ... within the framework of this satirical concept, the whole thing works perfectly" - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
"Although Nemitz’s and Hübner's language has a gritty sense of humor, the librettists bring the political dimension of opera brilliantly to the point" - OPUS
"Justin Brown takes care of precision, dynamism, power at the podium ... The audience cheered" - br-klassik.de
"Wahnfried brims over with word-wit, allusions and whimsical figures ... Dorman, who lives in the USA, writes music that sparkles with idea ... His music develops an irresistible pull. The highly engaged Justin Brown ensured the perfect realization of the virtuosic score" - dpa
Coming by train?
Hop aboard the Hedgehog!
In partnership with brilliant local bus service the Hedgehog, we’re now offering a shuttle service from Moreton-in-Marsh station to our theatre.
The service will depart from Moreton-in-Marsh 90 minutes before the performance start time, to arrive at Longborough shortly after the grounds open. It will return to Moreton following the performance end time.
