Aribert Reimann’s opera Lear opened its new run at the Tempelhof Airport hangar in Berlin. Staged by director Barrie Kosky and conducted by Nicholas Carter, the production runs from September 16 to October 3, as the Komische Oper Berlin continues using alternative venues while its permanent home in East Berlin undergoes reconstruction.
Berlin Komische Oper Stages Lear at Tempelhof Airport Hangar
The production takes place in Hangar 4 of Tempelhof Airport, a site chosen because the company’s usual base in East Berlin is undergoing renovations and the alternative Schiller Theater in West Berlin is too small for the work. Barrie Kosky has directed the opera for the company’s fourth season-opening production staged at the airport venue, a location that audiences have grown to embrace. The staging strips away conventional theatrical environments to present characters on an empty stage in the middle of the hangar, where they descend into madness and lose their moral standing.
Scott Hendricks shapes the title role through character analysis
American baritone Scott Hendricks tackles the title role for the first time, noting that the score features 170 pages of music compared to 105 pages for Rigoletto and 120 for Wozzeck. In shaping the character, Hendricks asked whether the man was a patriarch ready to retire and enjoy the company befitting his status, or if he had dysfunctional relationships with his daughters. The character’s nature was explored through questions about whether he was present during his daughters’ childhood or if he left the responsibility of upbringing to someone else, and what a family of four without a mother’s love and empathy looked like.
Did you know?
Aribert Reimann composed Lear following a 1968 suggestion from German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who sang the title role at the opera’s world premiere at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich on July 9, 1978.
Percussion and Absent Mothers Define the Musical Architecture
Conductor Nicholas Carter and Barrie Kosky emphasize the acoustic force of Reimann’s score. Because there is not enough room on the orchestra platform in the airport hangar, eight musicians perform from a three-level tower at the rear of the stage. Kosky points out that the tragedy centers on toxic patriarchal blindness and the theme of the mother’s absence. The cast includes soprano Nicole Chevalier as Regan, mezzo-soprano Rosie Aldridge as Goneril, and soprano Penia Sofroniadi as Cordelia.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Berlin Production
Why is Komische Oper Berlin performing in an airport hangar?
The company’s permanent home in East Berlin is undergoing reconstruction, and the temporary Schiller Theater in West Berlin is too small for the production. Productions have been hosted in the Tempelhof Airport hangars for four season openings.
How does this production portray King Lear compared to traditional stagings?
Director Barrie Kosky and baritone Scott Hendricks explored the character through themes of patriarchal blindness and the absence of a mother’s love, questioning the nature of Lear’s relationship with his daughters and his role as a father.
Where can audiences see the opera and how long does the run last?
The production is being performed in Hangar 4 at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, with performances running from September 16 through October 3.
Who sings the title role in this staging?
American baritone Scott Hendricks sings the title role of Lear for the first time, navigating a score consisting of 170 pages of music.
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