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Merlin’s Island: Gluck’s clever opera is a light-hearted parody that takes nothing seriously.
The Emperor of Atlantis: Death decides to teach mankind a lesson in this powerfully dramatic work.
MERLIN’S ISLAND:
Music by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Libretto by Louis Anseaume, based on Lesage and D’Orneval’s Le monde renversé
Two Parisians are shipwrecked on an island paradise where the rich marry the poor, lawyers are always honest, spouses are always faithful, and artists are wealthier than businessmen. Heaven? Not quite. A takeoff on 18th century French vaudeville, Merlin’s Island is brimming with inspired music, beautiful ensembles, and heartwarming characters.
THE EMPEROR OF ATLANTIS:
Music by Viktor Ullmann
Libretto by Peter Kien
A New Production
A mad emperor declares universal war against everyone and offends Death. The result is a chaotic world in which the living no longer laugh, the dying no longer die, and life and death have lost their meaning. This daring satire was written while Ullmann was interned in the Nazis’ Terezín ghetto and examines the arrogance of unstoppable power and humanity’s resilience. This controversial and brilliant opera is full of humor and poignancy, with music that ranges from blues and German folk tunes to a Bach chorale.
Inside the Opera pre-show talk begins 1 hour before curtain at The Barns
Performance running time: 2.5 hours including one intermission
Sung in French and German with projected English translations
