Bavarian State Opera in Munich Announces STAATSOPER.TV 2013-14 Season

The Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) in Munich, Germany presents the 2013-14 season of STAATSOPER.TV - a free live-stream of select performances online at www.staatsoper.de/tv - including seven operas, six of which are new productions, and two ballets. The Bayerische Staatsoper, known for presenting provocative, experimental productions, is the first international opera house to present a full season of operas and ballets streamed live online at no cost, offering opera enthusiasts around the world the opportunity to see these artistically conceived and adventurous productions, many of which are sold out in the opera house, sung by today's most prominent artists.

The 2013-14 STAATSOPER.TV season opens on Sunday, October 6 with Berg's Wozzeckstarring Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Angela Denoke as Marie, in a revival production by Andreas Kriengenburg, and continues with four new productions including a presentation of Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski starring Johan Botha and Adrianne Pieczonka conducted by Kirill Petrenko in his first engagement as General Music Director on December 1; Verdi's La forza del destino directed by Marin Kušej and starring Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Harteros on December 28; Mozart's La clemenza di Tito starring Kristine Opolais and Toby Spence conducted by Mr. Petrenko on February 15; and 20th-century composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Die Soldaten also directed by Andreas Kriegenburg and starring Barbara Hannigan on May 31. (Complete schedule to follow.)

The STAATSOPER.TV season also features two operas broadcast from the Munich Opera Festival in the summer of 2014, including a new production of Rossini's Guillaume Tell starring Bryan Hymel and Michael Volle on June 28 and a new production of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo with Christian Gerhaher in the title role on July 27.

STAATSOPER.TV uses four to six full high definition cameras and up to 40 microphones located on the stage and in the orchestra pit of The National Theatre in Munich to produce the highest quality video and audio, streamed using an increased bandwidth, offering an even better picture quality. Three different transmission qualities (low, high and HD) are available and the viewer can choose between the three to adapt the transmission according to their internet connection.STAATSOPER.TV can be viewed on any computer, laptop or tablet with a broadband internet connection such as DSL.

Operas are sung in their original language, and streams with German and English subtitles are available. Bayerische Staatsoper General Manager Nikolaus Bachler (or Ballet Director Ivan Liška for the ballet performances) provides an introduction to the work before each live stream, and a behind-the-scenes look at the Bayerische Staatsoper's backstage areas is presented during intermissions.

"We see our live streams as an expansion of our cultural mission, and we continue to stand out from all the other services offered by the nature of our programme: unique, live, free of charge, plus the top singers and dancers and the most important directors," says General Manager Nikolaus Bachler. "Also Kirill Petrenko supports the initiative and was happy to make all the new productions conducted by him available in this form too."

The Bayerische Staatsoper is one of the world's leading opera houses, renowned for its tradition, innovation and repertoire. Formed as a court theater in 1653, the Bayerische Staatsoper is steeped in more than 350 years of cultural tradition. The company presents nearly 300 performances of 30 operas spanning five centuries each season, attracting a yearly audience of 600,000. The company has one of the most richly varied performance schedules of all international opera houses, presenting ballets, concerts and song recitals in addition to operas. The Bayerische Staatsoper has helped to establish Munich as one of the great international cultural capitals.

In 2008 Nikolaus Bachler became the 17th General Director of the opera company, and 2013-14 marks the inaugural season for the 22nd General Music Director, Kirill Petrenko. Mr. Petrenko follows in the footsteps of great conductors who have also held the position of General Music Director of the Bayerische Staatsoper including Hans von Bülow, Richard Strauss, Bruno Walter, George Solti, Wolfgang Sawallisch and Zubin Mehta.

This season the opera company commemorates the 50th anniversary of the reopening of Munich's National Theatre following its destruction during World War II. Twenty years after the theater was nearly completely destroyed during an Allied air attack on Munich the night of October 3, 1943, The National Theatre reopened on November 21, 1963 with a performance of Richard Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten conducted by Joseph Keilberth starring Ingrid Bjoner, Martha Mödl, Jess Thomas and Dietrich Fischer-Diskau.

Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT

The season opens on Sunday, October 6 with a revival of the critically acclaimed 2009 production of Berg's Wozzeck directed by Andreas Kriegenburg, whose production of the company's Ring cycle last season was also met with considerable acclaim. Wozzeck stars Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Angela Denoke as Marie. Lothar Koenigs conducts.

Conductor Lothar Koenigs

Production Andras Kriegenburg

Set design Harald B. Thor

Costumes Andrea Schraad

Cast Simon Keenlyside (Wozzeck), Angela Denoke (Marie), Roman Sadnik (Drum
Major), Kevin Conners (Andres), Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Captain),
Wolfgang Bankl (Doctor), Heike Grötzinger (Margret)

Richard Strauss: Die Frau ohne Schatten - New Production

Sunday, December 1 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

The Bayerische Staatsoper celebrates the 50th anniversary of the reopening of Munich's National Theatre with the company's first new production of the season - Strauss'sDie Frau ohne Schatten. In 1963, the Bayerische Staatsoper presented the same opera during the opening night of the newly reconstructed theater. Conductor Kirill Petrenko, who was widely praised for his interpretation of Wagner's Ring cycle at Bayreuth earlier this year, gives his first performance as General Music Director of the Bayerische Staatsoper. The new production ofDie Frau ohne Schatten is by Polish director Krzystzof Warlikowkski, known for his production ofEugene Onegin with the company in 2007. The opera stars Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka as the Empress and South African tenor Johan Botha makes his company debut as the Emperor. Bass-baritone Wolfgang Koch, who sang the role of Wotan in Bayreuth, will sing the role of Barak, the Dyer.

Conductor Kirill Petrenko

Production Krzysztof Warlikowski

Sets/costumes Ma?gorzata Szcz??niak

Cast Johan Botha (The Emperor), Adrianne Pieczonka (The Empress), Deborah
Polaski (The Nurse) Wolfgang Koch (Barak), Elena Pankratova (the Dyer's
Wife)

Giuseppe Verdi: La forza del destino - New Production

Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

Tenor Jonas Kaufmann and soprano Anja Harteros return to the Bayerische Staatsoper to make their role debuts as Alvaro and Leonora in a new production of Verdi's La forza del destino by Martin Kušej.This will be Austrian-born Mr. Kušej's third directorial work for the company, following his controversial productions of Macbeth in 2008 and Rusalka in 2010, as well as the third new production shared by the two singers, who have been closely associated with the company for many years. Mr. Kaufmann and Ms. Harteros opened the 2009 Munich Opera Festival in Richard Jones's production of Wagner's Lohengrin, and most recently they were seen in a new staging of Verdi's Il Trovatore by Olivier Py. Asher Fisch conducts his first new production at Bayerische Staatsoper.

Conductor Asher Fisch

Production Martin Kušej

Set design Martin Zehetgruber

Costumes Heidi Hackl

Cast Jonas Kaufmann (Don Alvaro), Anja Harteros (Leonora), Vitalij Koawaljow (The
Marquis of Calatrava), Ludovic Tézier (Don Carlos di Vargas)

Wolfgang A. Mozart: La clemenza di Tito - New Production

Saturday, February 15, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT

Mozart's late opera, La clemenza di Tito, returns to the company after eight years with this new production by German theater director Jan Bosse in his company debut. Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais sings the role of the calculating and power-conscious Vitellia, with Tara Erraught as her adoring Sesto, and Toby Spence as Tito Vespasiano. General Music Director Kirill Petrenko conducts his second STAATSOPER.TV presentation of the season.

Conductor Kirill Petrenko

Production Jan Bosse

Set design Stéphane Laimé

Costumes Victoria Behr

Cast Toby Spence (Tito Vespasiano), Kristine Opolais (Vitellia), Tara Erraught
(Sesto), Angela Brower (Annio), Hanna-Elisabeth Müller (Servilia), Tareq
Nazmi (Publio)

Ballet: La Bayadère

Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. PT

Music Ludwig Minkus

Choreography Marius Petipa & Patrice Bart

Set/Costumes Tomio Mohri

Cast Lucia Lacarra (Nikija), Marlon Dino (Solor)

Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Die Soldaten- New Production

Saturday, May 31, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT

Kirill Petrenko conducts German composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Die Soldaten, an opera Mr. Petrenko describes as "one of the most complex scores of the 19th century." The opera premiered in Cologne in 1965 and, despite the challenges of staging the work with its massive orchestral scoring, additional jazz band, electronic sounds and multiple scenes taking place simultaneously, it has been presented at numerous opera houses worldwide including at Bayerische Staatsoper's National Theater in 1969. This new production by Andreas Kriegenburg, who previously directed Wagner's Ring cycle and Berg's Wozzeck for the company, stars Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan as Marie. Ms. Hannigan made her Bayerische Staatsoper debut earlier this year during the Munich Opera Festival in George Benjamin's Written on Skin. The cast also includes Michael Nagy as Stolzius and Endrik Wottrich as Desportes, the men who drive Marie to madness.

Conductor Kirill Petrenko

Production Andreas Kriegenburg

Set design Harald B. Thor

Costumes Andrea Schraad

Cast Christoph Stephinger (Wesener), Barbara Hannigan (Marie), Okka von der
Damerau (Charlotte), Hanna Schwarz, (Wesener's Mother), Michael Nagy
(Stolzius), Heike Grötzinger (Stolzius' Mother), Tareq Nazmi (Obrist), Endrik
Wottrich (Desportes), Kevin Conners (Pirzel), Christian Rieger (Eisenhardt),
Wolfgang Newerla (Mary), Nicola Beller Carbone (Die Gräfin de la Roche),
Graf Alexander Kaimbacher (Der junge)

Ballet: Les Ballets Russes

Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. PT

Les Biches
Choreography Bronislawa Nijinska
Music Francis Poulenc

L'Après-midi d'un faune
Choreography Vaslav Nijinsky
Music Claude Debussy

Gioachino Rossini: Guillaume Tell - New Production

Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

The Munich Opera Festival opens with a new production of Rossini's final opera,Guillaume Tell. Making role debuts in the opera are baritone Michael Volle as Guillaume Tell and American tenor Bryan Hymel as Arnold. Dan Ettinger conducts and Antú Romero Nunes makes his company debut directing his first opera.

Conductor Dan Ettinger

Production Antú Romero Nunes

Set design Florian Lösche

Costumes Annabelle Will

Cast Michael Volle (Guillaume Tell), Bryan Hymel (Arnold Melcthal), Goran Juri?
(Walter Furst), Christoph Stephinger (Melcthal), Evgeniya Sotnikova
(Jemmy), Günther Groissböck (Gesler), Jennifer Johnston (Hedwige)

Claudio Monteverdi: L'Orfeo - New Production

Sunday, July 27, 2014 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT

German baritone Christian Gerhaher stars as Orfeo in this new production by returning director David Bösch, conducted by Baroque specialist Ivor Bolton. The cast also includes mezzo-soprano Anna Bonitatibus as Messagiera/Proserpina and soprano Anna Virovlansky as Euridice.

Conductor Ivor Bolton

Production David Bösch

Set design Patrick Bannwart

Costumes Falko Herold

Cast Christian Gerhaher (Orfeo), Anna Virovlansky (Euridice), Anna Bonitatibus
(Messagiera/Proserpina), Andrea Mastroni (Caronte), Angela Brower
(Speranza/La Musica), Andrew Harris (Plutone), Mauro Peter (Apollo)