The Emperor's New Clothes at Komische Oper Berlin

The court of Emperor Maximilian von Eitelstein is populated by stuck-up dandies, and when it comes to vanity Princess Culifinda, who is desperate to be married, is as ridiculous as the two senior ministers and the Grand Master of the Court. So it is no wonder that the two friends Jan and Barnabas, who are mistaken for tailors as they pass through the kingdom, manage without difficulty to sell the very latest fashion to the Emperor, in the shape of an outfit so exclusive that only the most sophisticated eye can see it... because it doesn't in fact exist. Unfortunately, even in a place like this there are one or two reasonable people who refuse to be tricked quite so easily, and of course it is the children who are the first to laugh at the half-naked emperor. But, as in every fairytale, the story concludes with a pair of happy lovers, and even the humiliated Emperor find some comfort – with the innkeeper next door.

Miloš Vacek comes up with the appropriate tone for all these characters, who manage to be lovable even in their ridiculous posturing, from shrill coloratura for Princess Culifinda and robust strophic song for the innkeeper to soaring melodic arches for the lovers – and all the time the lively music allows the composer’s Czech roots to shine through.