Let our head of Dramaturgy Reinder Pols guide you on the metaphysical trip that is ‘Tristan and Isolde’. An unforgettable homage to the mythic power of love, coming to La Monnaie on May 2.
Going with the storm
Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde poses a major challenge to every opera director. To turn the unendliche stream of monologues and dialogues in this masterpiece into enduring images, La Monnaie brought together two complementary visual artists. The German film director Ralf Pleger is well-acquainted with the Wagnerian universe: his documentary on the life and work of this composer won him the Public Award on the 2013 World Film Festival of Montréal. For this new production, he joins hands with the German sculptor Alexander Polzin, who previously at La Monnaie created the impressive stage design for our 2017 production of Aida. In this video portrait, both artists contemplate their approach to Wagner’s timeless hymn to love and death.
A masterpiece that leaves nobody unmoved.
Musical Director Alain Altinoglu on his first encounter with Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, and the major music-historical influence of this four-hour tour de force.
"Time has run out, we were the ones to know." With these strong words ends Solar, an 'environmental opera' about the consequences of human hubris and the reckless disregard for our natural ressources. In this video, composer Howard Moody and director Benoît De Leersnyder tell you all about the libretto, the music and the inspiration of Bruegel's painting The Fall of Icarus, but above all about the power that emanates from the young generation, represented by the La Monnaie Children's and Youth Choir.
In Bastarda there is room for only one queen: the mythical Elizabeth I of England. Inspired by a childlike sense of wonder, director Olivier Fredj reshapes La Monnaie into the court of ‘The Virgin Queen’. In this interview, he reflects on his particular form of storytelling.
