The 2024/25 season is a special one: with it, Intendant and Artistic Director Andreas Homoki bids farewell to the Opernhaus Zürich. A thirteen-year era will come to an end. Everything is set for this farewell season, at the end of which Andreas Homoki and his team will have premiered a total of 123 new opera productions and 39 ballet productions.

Some 2.5 million audience members have been a part of the Homoki era. Under Andreas Homoki, the definition of music theater expanded to include much more than what is generally understood as opera. Alongside popular classics by Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, Rossini and Strauss, the program over the past thirteen years has also featured operettas, musicals, independent Baroque projects, collaborations between ballet and opera, newly commissioned family operas and genre-defying experiments in contemporary music. This final 2024/25 season will follow their lead.

Under Homoki's directorship, the Opernhaus Zürich created a body of work that enjoys a distinguished international reputation, boasting numerous world premieres, commissioned works and performances of exceptional contemporary music theater explorations. The Opernhaus will do justice to this reputation once again for the 2024/25 season in the form of the world premiere of Das grosse Feuer a composition commission by Beat Furrer. In his operas, Schaffhausen-born composer Beat Furrer likes to explore both extreme and the terminal moments of human existence. Furrer’s latest composition is also his first major choral opera, and it takes us into the cosmos of an indigenous tribe in South America whose homes have been destroyed by colonization and Christian missionary work. For this world premiere production, the Opernhaus Zürich will work with Cantando Admont, a prestigious, independent Austrian choir that specializes in contemporary choral works. The libretto is by Austrian author Thomas Stangl. Tatjana Gürbaca, who became one of the most important directors under Andreas Homoki in Zurich, is responsible for the production. The composer himself will conduct the world premiere.

When it premiered in Amsterdam in 1992, the absurd grotesque story in Leben mit einem Idioten by Alfred Schnittke was seen as a bitter parody of everyday life in the Soviet Union. But the composer was quick to respond, saying that his opera is «not at all about communism» but more about a general condition in which «the irrational rules over the rational». Here, Russian stage director Kirill Serebrennikov, based in Berlin, will stage the piece as a dystopian, contemporary story of a married couple for whom the idiot becomes the catalyst in their toxic relationship. He is a force that brings the darkest, most destructive human instincts to the surface, alongside a willingness for aggression and violence. Schnittke’s music is full of the potential for humor and irony, which will unfold with the Philharmonia Zürich under the musical direction of Jonathan Stockhammer.

The story of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s opera Die tote Stadt is that of a young man whose beloved wife Maria died too soon. Paul gives in completely to his pain at the loss, until one day a dancer appears who looks just like his wife. This production marks the return of Dmitri Tcherniakov to the Opernhaus Zürich, who will tackle this modern classic with psychological precision. Swiss conductor and rising star Lorenzo Viotti will unleash the colorful orchestral frenzy in Korngold’s score. The demanding lead roles feature Vida Miknevičiũtė and Eric Cutler.

One of the Opernhaus Zürich’s programmatic lines is the cultivation of the Baroque repertoire, a practice that originated with Nikolas Harnoncourt. In Georg Friedrich Händel political parable Agrippina, Polish countertenor and break dancer Jakub Józef Orliński, who has wowed audiences worldwide, meets the great Italian mezzo-soprano Anna Bonitatibus. And although the story is 300 years old, this sinister plot of sex, crime and politics remains timeless. Responsible for the staging of the bitingly satirical production is Dutch stage director Jetske Mijnssen. British Baroque specialist Harry Bicket debuts with the Opernhaus Zürich’s own Orchestra La Scintilla.

Each season, the Opernhaus Zürich presents works by Giacomo Puccini and Giuseppe Verdi, the two greats of operatic literature. In Andreas Homoki’s final season, popular classics from both are once again given new interpretations.

The historic story of an idle, politically weak ruler who is killed at a masked ball was adapted by Giuseppe Verdi for Un ballo in maschera. He transformed this historical event into the tragic love story between Riccardo, the main character, and Amelia, the wife of Riccardo’s best friend Renato, whose jealousy turns him into a murderer. Tenor Charles Castronovo, who has already sung this role at the New York Met, is Riccardo. Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi makes her debut as Amelia, and her husband Renato is played by George Petean. After collaborating on Il trovatore, General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda and stage director Adele Thomas join forces once again on a Verdi opera.  

In the same month that Verdi staged his last opera in Milan, Puccini premiered Manon Lescaut in Turin, securing his status as Verdi’s most important successor. This story of a fragile woman’s downfall and her impossible love is told here by Barrie Kosky and Marco Armiliato. Soprano Elena Stikhina, who was recently celebrated as Salome at the Opernhaus Zürich, can be heard as Manon. Tenor Saimir Pirgu returns as her lover Des Grieux.

One of the standards that Andreas Homoki has consistently held to during his tenure is that his house would pay the greatest possible artistic attention not only to premieres, but also to revivals. From the very beginning, he has insisted on maintaining the finest artistic standards in casting, while taking great care during the staging and musical rehearsals, with the goal of guaranteeing first-rate performances night after night in Zurich. This means audiences can look forward to a 2024/25 season full of enticing revivals, many of which have been created by Homoki himself and will now be presented once again. It is a season full of grand triumphs and great artists, many of whom have been closely associated with the Opernhaus and Andreas Homoki for many years.

General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda takes over musical direction of Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer. With the conducting of the Ring in Zurich, Noseda has demonstrated that he is a fabulous Wagner interpreter. Two world-class performers, Camilla Nylund and Tomasz Konieczny, bow in the main roles.

Whether it’s at the Bayreuth Festival, at New York Met, in Zurich, or at the Paris Opera – Tenor Piotr Beczała’s Lohengrin is celebrated worldwide by press and public alike. In this revival, Zurich audiences can see for themselves how well the Wagnerian grail knight’s glove fits Beczała. He is joined by other outstanding Wagner singers, including Simone Schneider, Christof Fischesser, Martin Gantner and Anna Smirnova. Conductor Axel Kober leads the Philharmonia Zürich.

Russian soprano Elena Stikhina and Lithuanian bass-baritone Kostas Smoriginas, who already wowed audiences and critics in the premiere series, return to sing Richard Strauss’ Salome. Strauss expert Simone Young will musically direct.

Christian Gerhaher’s debut turn as Simon Boccanegra at the Opernhaus Zürich made headlines. Now, the celebrated baritone is back once again at the center of this work by Verdi, an opera imbued with dark undertones and conflict.

American soprano Jennifer Holloway will make her Opernhaus debut in the title role of Beethoven’s Fidelio. Her husband Florestan will be sung by Eric Cutler. Krzysztof Urbański, the new principal conductor of the Bern Sinfonieorchester, will lead from the podium of the Philharmonia Zürich.

The premiere of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann production by Andreas Homoki took place online in Spring 2021, due to coronavirus pandemic; the production finally comes to stage before an audience. Saimir Pirgu made a convincing debut in the title role, and he returns as Hoffmann in this revival.

She most recently thrilled Zurich audiences as Leonora in Verdi’s Il trovatore, and now the internationally celebrated soprano Marina Rebeka returns in the title role of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. As in the premiere run, Julie Fuchs will appear in the revival of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. Tenor Stephen Costello, who last appeared here in the Messa da Requiem and as Roberto Devereux, bows as Roméo. Michael Volle as Graf Danilo Danilowitsch will find himself wrapped around the little finger of Vida Miknevičiũtė’s Hanna Glawari in Barrie Kosky’s production of Die lustige Witwe. Hawaiian baritone Quinn Kelsey appears as Rigoletto at all the world’s great opera houses. His international success with this role began with the premiere of Tatjana Gürbaca’s production thirteen years ago. He returns to the Opernhaus Zürich this season to to sing his signature role.

The upcoming 2024/25 season marks the Ballett Zürich’s second season under its new Ballet Director Cathy Marston. Together with a company made up of veteran and brand-new members, the Swiss choreographer with British roots has brought both great works of the past and new artistic styles to Zurich. She has also presented three of her own narrative ballets.

For the first premiere of the new season, she turns her attention to the moving biography of a woman artist. In the world premiere of Clara, Cathy Marston focuses on Clara Schumann, one of the most important pianists of her time. Composer Philip Feeney, one of Marston’s long-time collaborators, interweaves pieces not only by Clara, but also by Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms, in his ballet score. German pianist Ragna Schirmer, a recognized Clara Schumann specialist, will perform at the piano, with Daniel Capps conducting the Philharmonia Zürich.

The internationally acclaimed Kim Brandstrup is set to work with the Ballett Zürich for the first time for Of Light, Wind and Waters. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of author Hans Christian Andersen, this Dane choreographer will imaginatively combine various motifs from his compatriot’s fairytales as he breathes new life into them. The production’s sound design is in the hands of renowned British musician Ian Dearden.

The three-part production Countertime takes us into the world of the 1950s and 1960s in the USA. In Mrs. Robinson Cathy Marston tells this familiar tale solely from the perspective of the title figure – unlike the well-known Hollywood film The Graduate. British composer and Olivier Award recipient Terry Davies created the score. Also on the program is Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto, a must-see modern classic that celebrates the beauty of dance movement, accompanied by Dmitri Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto. The evening is rounded out by Puerto Rican choreographer Bryan Arias’ stunning Symphonic Dances. The work brings together all the highlights from Bernstein’s famous West Side Story, and will be presented by the Philharmonia Zürich under the direction of Robert Houssart.

The Junior Ballett’s new production bears the title The Butterfly Effect and brings together three choreographers, all of whom make their home in Zurich. Alongside the Ballet Director herself, Ihsan Rustem and Lucas Valente, two artists from a brand new generation, will work with the young dancers.

And finally, Patrice Bart’s Giselle, another key work in the ballet repertoire, returns to the Opernhaus stage. The now 80-year-old Frenchman previously mounted a revival of this great classic in Zurich in 2015. Adolphe Adam's ballet music will be interpreted by the Philharmonia Zürich under the direction of Ermanno Florio, a recognized expert in conducting ballet music. The production of Autographs presents three of the most important choreographic styles of our time. It shows works by the Canadian Crystal Pite, the British Wayne McGregor and the US-American William Forsythe and brings together three works that have all previously been shown in Zurich in different contexts. The season will conclude with the return of Cathy Marston’s Atonement. Her choreography to Ian McEwan’s famous contemporary novel, a work that has joined the ranks of the world’s best, once again demonstrates Marston’s passion for narrative ballet.

ZURICH TALKS DANCE, the new joint platform founded in 2023 by the Ballett Zürich, the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), Tanz Akademie Zürich (TaZ) and Tanzhaus Zürich, will continue in the 2024/25 season. Once again, we will complement two events on Sunday mornings at the Opernhaus with further discussion formats at the Theater der Künste (Gessnerallee) and in the ZHdK's Kaskadenhalle in the Toniareal, placing the work of the Ballett Zürich in a larger context.

General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda will be at the core of the Philharmonic Concerts of the 2023/24 season, conducting the Philharmonia Zürich himself for three of the seven concerts. In particular, he will devote himself to the German symphonic repertoire, continuing his cycle with all of Johannes Brahms' symphonies. Exciting new conductors, including the exceptionally talented Tarmo Peltokoski, will make their debut in Zurich. Like Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Klaus Mäkelä, this young Finn comes from Jorma Panula’s legendary conducting workshop and, at the age of 24, is already causing an international sensation. German-American conductor Evan Rogister is also on the cusp of a major career. Rogister is chief conductor of the Washington National Opera and will be conducting the Philharmonia Zürich for the first time. A regular guest in Zurich is Markus Poschner, who will open the Philharmonic Concert series together with the young violinist María Dueñas.

Cecilia Bartoli is one of the singular phenomena in the opera world. Bartoli boasts worldwide success and countless awards to her name, and has maintained a close relationship with the Opernhaus and the Orchestra La Scintilla since her early days. For years, the promotion of young singers has been particularly close to her heart. This season, this exceptional artist reaffirms this connection with a charity concert in aid of the International Opera Studio. Under the direction of Gianluca Capuano, the mezzo-soprano and the young talents of the IOS will together embark on a journey from baroque to bel canto, with works by Händel, Mozart, Rossini and others.

In its own concert series, our Orchestra La Scintilla will feature artistic personalities making their debuts with the ensemble. The choir conductor and director of the renowned Bach Academy Stuttgart, Hans-Christoph Rademann, will present works by Bach, Händel and Jan Dismas Zelenka. Dorothee Oberlinger, who has made an international name for herself as a flutist while additionally embarking on a career as a conductor, will lead works from the Italian Baroque period. The Danish harpsichordist and conductor Lars Ulrik Mortensen will present a program of Baroque overtures and concerti grossi. A unique collaboration is in store when the Orchestra La Scintilla, which performs on period instruments, joins forces with the Zürcher Ensemble für zeitgenössische Musik for a concert. Together, the two ensembles will premiere a new work by the Serbian composer Milica Djordjević.

The Opernhaus will also continue its series of concert performances in the upcoming season. The young talents of the International Opera Studio will guest at the Stadthaus Winterthur with Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims. The vocal roles are some of the most technically demanding bel canto roles of all.

Vocal recitals with star soloists such as Regula Mühlemann, Nina Stemme, Juan Diego Flórez, Julie Fuchs, Johannes Martin Kränzle and Hanna-Elisabeth Müller will be sure to please fans of the vocal arts in the upcoming 24/25 season.

A particular priority during the Homoki era was to significantly expand the offerings for children and young people. Above all, this included the annual production of a new children’s and family opera on the main stage, featuring all the possibilities of theater magic, and at affordable prices. As suitable material for children aged 7 and over is a rarity in the existing opera repertoire, the Opernhaus Zürich commissioned numerous works. To mark the conclusion of Homoki’s directorship, two new musical works for children were created: In 80 Tagen um die Welt and Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig.

With his adventure story In 80 Tagen um die Welt Jules Verne touched something culturally significant, just as the achievements of modern technology – fast steamships, railroads, and the newly built Suez Canal – were making the world smaller. British composer Jonathan Dove, whose family opera Das verzauberte Schwein delighted young and old alike at our house a few years ago, was inspired by the story as he created the opera’s lively music. The libretto was written by Peter Lund, who is also the stage director.

Christine Nöstlinger’s witty and enigmatic Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig is about a domineering, arrogant and egotistical king of cucumbers, and it has been awarded the Deutsche Jugendliteraturpreis, made into a film, and adapted for the stage. The Opernhaus Zürich commissioned Australian-German composer Samuel Penderbayne to make an opera out of it. Claudia Blersch will stage the story on our Studiobühne.  

Before Andreas Homoki takes his leave as Intendant of the Opernhaus Zürich after 13 years, we’ll use the final days of the season to celebrate, together with many familiar faces. 

On the occasion of Andreas Homoki’s farewell, conductor and former General Music Director Fabio Luisi returns to Zurich for one concert, as he presents an evening of operatic excerpts with the Philharmonia Zürich, the Chor des Opernhauses and vocal stars Camilla Nylund, Klaus Florian Vogt and Bryn Terfel. The current General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda will musically contribute with a festival event with the Philharmonia Zürich in Homoki’s honor.

Since the first live broadcast in June 2014, oper für alle has thrilled thousands of fans year after year and has become an integral part of Zurich’s calendar of events. On the final weekend of this season, too, the Opernhaus Zürich will transform the Sechseläutenplatz into an open-air stage and present Jacques Offenbach’s fantastical opera Les Contes d’Hoffmann, this time as a part of the Andreas Homoki’s farewell celebrations. The second edition of kino für alle will take place on the evening before. Once again, these two sister events present the best of open-air entertainment for warm summer evenings.

You may have noticed: Prices are slightly higher this year than in the past. The reason for this is the general increase in costs; the material for stage sets, for example, has become around 20% more expensive. We have held on to our prices for a long time and did not want to pass these additional costs on to you, dear audience. Now, however, a price adjustment of CHF 5 to CHF 15 per seat is absolutely necessary in order to keep the Opernhaus budget balanced. This does not affect public performances and family operas.

We thank you for your understanding of this necessary step and look forward to an exciting season with you!