Werther

Opera by Jules Massenet

Lyrical drama in four acts and five scenes
Libretto by Edoudard Blau, Paul Milliet, and Georges
Hartmann after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

From 14. June 2026 until 10. July 2026

Dates & Tickets

Duration :
2 H. 45 Min. Inkl. Pause after 1st part after approx. 1 H. 15 Min.
Language:
In French with German and English surtitles.
More information:
Introduction 45 min before the performance.

Musical Director:

Marco Armiliato

Marco Armiliato studied piano at the Paganini Conservatory in his hometown of Genoa and began his conducting career in 1989 with "L’elisir d’amore" in Lima, Peru. In 1995, he made his debut with "Il barbiere di Siviglia" at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, followed a year later by his debut at the Vienna State Opera with "Andrea Chénier" and at the San Francisco Opera with "La bohème". Since then, his career has taken him to the world’s most prestigious opera houses, including the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Royal Opera in London, the Opéra national de Paris, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, La Scala in Milan, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. At the Salzburg Festival, he conducted productions including "Tosca" and "Andrea Chénier", as well as concert performances of "Manon Lescaut", "Lucrezia Borgia", and "I Capuleti e i Montecchi". In 2022, he was Music Director of the Arena di Verona Festival. He has maintained a close collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where since his debut in 1998 he has conducted almost 500 performances, including "Il trovatore", "La bohème", "Aida", "Turandot", "Rigoletto", "I puritani", "Madama Butterfly", and "La traviata". His recording "Verismo" (2009) with Renée Fleming received a Grammy Award, and the recording "Romantic Arias" (2008) with Jonas Kaufmann was honoured with a Diapason d’or. At the Vienna State Opera, where he has been an honorary member since 2019, he has conducted a wide range of works from the Italian and French repertoire, as well as gala performances and festive concerts. At the Zurich Opera House, he has recently conducted "La traviata", "Otello", "La bohème", "Manon", "Simon Boccanegra", "La rondine", "Messa da Requiem", and "Tosca".

Tosca28 Sept / 8 / 11 / 15 / 19 Oct 2025 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027

Production:

Tatjana Gürbaca

Tatjana Gürbaca studied directing at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in her hometown of Berlin and complemented her training through masterclasses, especially with Ruth Berghaus. She was a finalist at the international Ring Award Graz. Her productions range from Baroque works such as "Dido and Aeneas" in Baden-Baden to contemporary music theatre pieces such as Dallapiccola’s "Il prigioniero" (Volksoper Vienna) and Philippe Hersant’s "Le moine noir" (world premiere at Leipzig Opera). She also directed a Tchaikovsky cycle at the Vlaamse Opera Antwerp. Further engagements took her to the State Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bühnen Bern, Novosibirsk Opera, Oslo Opera, Graz Opera, and the Lucerne Festival, among others. From 2011 to 2014, she was Opera Director at the Staatstheater Mainz, where she directed productions including "The Bartered Bride", Salvatore Sciarrino’s "Macbeth", "Un ballo in maschera", and Scarlatti’s "Il primo omicidio". In 2013, she was named "Director of the Year" by the magazine Opernwelt for her production of "Parsifal" at the Vlaamse Opera Antwerp. She created a three-part "Ring" project and "Alcina" at Theater an der Wien, "Lohengrin" and "Der Freischütz" in Essen, Korngold’s "Die tote Stadt" at Cologne Opera, "Das schlaue Füchslein" at Theater Bremen, "Così fan tutte" at the National Theatre in Prague, "Káťa Kabanová" at Deutsche Oper am Rhein, "Jenůfa" in Geneva, "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" at the Dutch National Opera, as well as "Ulisse", "La Juive", and "Written on Skin" in Frankfurt. In Zurich, she has directed productions including "Rigoletto", "Die Zauberflöte", "Werther", "Le Grand Macabre", "Lucia di Lammermoor", and in 2025 the world premiere of Beat Furrer’s "Das grosse Feuer".

Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026

Set and Lighting Design:

Klaus Grünberg

Klaus Grünberg comes from Hamburg, studied stage design with Erich Wonder in Vienna, and has since worked as a freelance stage and lighting designer at theatres and opera houses throughout Europe as well as in Kuwait and Buenos Aires. For many years, he has collaborated with the composer and director Heiner Goebbels as well as with Tatjana Gürbaca and Barrie Kosky, including from 2009 to 2011 with Kosky on the "Ring des Nibelungen" at the Hanover State Opera. His recent productions include "Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny", the Berlin evening "... und mit morgen könnt ihr mich!", and Philip Glass’s "Echnaton" at the Komische Oper Berlin, "Ulisse", "La Juive", and "Written on Skin" at Frankfurt Opera, "Simon Boccanegra" at the Aalto Musiktheater Essen, "Rusalka" at the Hanover State Opera, "L’incoronazione di Poppea" at Theater Bremen, Gogol’s "Revisor" at the Burgtheater Vienna, "Giulio Cesare in Egitto" at the National Theatre Mannheim, Rimsky-Korsakov’s "The Night Before Christmas" at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, as well as Chekhov’s "Three Sisters" at the Berliner Ensemble. His work has also been presented at the Ruhrtriennale and the Kunstfestspiele Herrenhausen, at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, and at the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music. In 1999, he opened the MOMOLMA (museum of more or less modern art) in Hamburg. At the Zurich Opera House, he designed the stage and lighting for productions including "Rigoletto", "Aida", "Die Zauberflöte", "Macbeth", "Werther", "Lucia di Lammermoor", and "Die lustige Witwe".

Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Die lustige Witwe27 / 31 Dec 2026 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 Jan 2027

Set design collaboration:

Anne Kuhn

Anne Kuhn, born in Chemnitz, studied Applied Theatre Studies in Giessen. After numerous stage and set design assistantships, including with Beatrice Schultz, Klaus Grünberg, and Wolfgang Gussmann, she has been collaborating regularly with stage and lighting designer Klaus Grünberg since 2008. In addition, she realizes her own independent projects. Anne Kuhn lives and works as a stage designer and illustrator in Berlin and Hamburg. She has worked on productions such as "The Nose" (Royal Opera House Covent Garden), "Don Giovanni" and "Simplicius Simplicissimus" (Theater Bremen), "Rusalka" (Hanover State Opera), "Der Freischütz" (Aalto Music Theatre Essen), as well as at the Komische Oper Berlin on "Frühlingsstürme," "Pelléas et Mélisande," and "Akhnaten." At the Zurich Opera House, she collaborated with Klaus Grünberg on the stage designs for "Macbeth" and "The Merry Widow" (directed by Barrie Kosky), as well as for "Aida," "The Magic Flute," "Werther," and "Lucia di Lammermoor" (directed by Tatjana Gürbaca).

Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Die lustige Witwe27 / 31 Dec 2026 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 Jan 2027

Costumes:

Silke Willrett

Silke Willrett studied stage and costume design with Jürgen Rose and art history in Stuttgart. In 1999, she completed her state examination in art history. In 2003, she founded the independent theatre group "Fliegen ab Stuttgart" with Tanja Richter and Marc Weeger; the group received the Baden-Württemberg Theatre Prize in the same year. Together with Marc Weeger, she was nominated several times by Deutsche Bühne and Opernwelt as "Best Stage and Costume Designer". She also works as a set and costume designer for film productions. The film "Das Mass der Dinge" was nominated for the First Steps Award in 2005 and by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2006. Among her artistic collaborators are Andrea Breth, Christof Nel, as well as Monique Wagemakers and Jan Essinger. She has worked with Tatjana Gürbaca at Theater Bremen, Staatstheater Mainz, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vlaamse Opera Antwerp, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Teatro Arriaga Bilbao, Aalto Theater Essen, and the Grand Théâtre de Genève, among others. Her recent costume designs include "Il trittico" at the Vienna State Opera, "Ulisse", "La Juive", and "Written on Skin" at Frankfurt Opera, as well as "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" at the Dutch National Opera. She has served on several juries for scholarships and awards, including from 2021 to 2024 for the FAUST Prize. She is a member of the Szenografie-Bund and the German Academy of Performing Arts, as well as a member of the group "Linienscharen". At the Zurich Opera House, she designed the costumes for "Rigoletto", "Aida", "Die Zauberflöte", "Werther", "Lucia di Lammermoor", and "Das grosse Feuer" directed by Tatjana Gürbaca.

Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026

Associate costume designer:

Carl-Christian Andresen

Carl-Christian Andresen studied textile and fashion design at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg and then moved to Paris for four years. There he worked, among others, for Chloé, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and John Galliano. In 2006 he returned to Germany and shifted to theatre and opera as an artistic costume assistant. He has had a long-standing collaboration with Silke Willrett since 2008. Carl-Christian Andresen has worked on productions at, among others, the Thalia Theater Hamburg, the Hamburg State Opera, the Komische Oper Berlin, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Dutch National Opera, Opernhaus Zürich, the Vienna State Opera, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, La Monnaie in Brussels, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, the Aalto Theater in Essen and the Teatro Mayor in Bogotá. He created his own costume designs for, among others, "Le nozze di Figaro" at the Landestheater Detmold, "Le journal de Nijinsky" at the Grand Théâtre Bordeaux, "Dangerous Liaisons" at the Lübeck University of Music, "Der Vetter aus Dingsda" at Theater Ulm and "Dinorah" at Theater Görlitz. For Thierry Tidrow’s opera "Persona" at the Staatstheater Darmstadt he created both the stage and costume design in 2023. He also designs for various short films, feature films and commercials, including "My Circumcision" (awarded the Max Ophüls Prize 2013 for "Best Short Film") and the music video "Fräulein Sommer", which received the UNICATO Award for "Best Music Video" in 2014. In 2024 he designed, together with Silke Willrett, the costumes for the German premiere of Louise Bertin’s opera "Fausto" at the Aalto Musiktheater Essen (directed by Tatjana Gürbaca).

Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026

Chorus Master:

Alice Lapasin Zorzit

Alice Lapasin Zorzit completed her piano studies at the Conservatorio di Musica Luigi Boccherini in Lucca and continued her education at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz, where she graduated with distinction in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in choral conducting. During this time, she gained her first experience in the opera world as a répétiteur at the Landestheater Linz. In 2017, she took part in the Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy and during the 2018/19 season worked as a répétiteur at the Orchestra Academy of the Zurich Opera House. In the 2019/20 season, she was engaged as assistant children’s chorus director and guest pianist at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin. She subsequently continued her work at the Staatstheater Darmstadt, where from 2020 to 2022 she served as assistant chorus director and children’s chorus director. Alongside her professional development, she continued her academic education: in 2021, she completed a master’s degree in conducting and opera coaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, followed in 2022 by an executive master’s degree in cultural management (EMAA) at the University of Zurich. As a cultural manager, she was a scholarship holder of the Deutsche Bank Foundation (AMH) and in 2024 founded the artist agency ArteMIS. From 2023 to 2025, she was chorus director with conducting responsibilities at the Landestheater Coburg and in summer 2025 worked as chorus assistant at the Bayreuth Festival. Since January 2026, she has been assistant chorus director at the Zurich Opera House.

Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Così fan tutte3 / 7 / 9 / 12 Jul 2026 Giulio Cesare in Egitto11 / 13 / 15 / 17 / 21 / 25 / 28 Mar 2026 Scylla et Glaucus27 / 29 / 31 Mar / 2 / 6 / 30 Apr / 2 May 2026 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Alice im Wunderland8 / 15 / 19 / 21 / 26 / 28 Nov / 6 Dec 2026 / 2 / 7 / 8 / 10 / 17 Jan 2027 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 La traviata20 / 23 / 29 Dec 2026 / 1 / 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 19 / 23 Jan 2027 Die lustige Witwe27 / 31 Dec 2026 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 Jan 2027 Roméo et Juliette12 / 19 / 21 Feb / 2 / 5 Mar 2027 Tosca11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027 Le nozze di Figaro2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Don Pasquale23 / 27 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 11 Jun 2027 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027 Herr der Diebe27 Feb / 2 / 4 / 6 / 7 / 9 / 10 / 11 Mar 2027 Concert Kinderopernorchester25 May / 1 / 13 / 18 / 21 / 28 Jun 2026

Dramaturgy:

Claus Spahn

Claus Spahn was chief dramaturge at the Zurich Opera House during Andreas Homoki’s tenure as artistic director. There, he supervised music theater projects by Wolfgang Rihm, Helmut Lachenmann, George Benjamin, Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, and world premieres by Heinz Holliger, Christian Jost, and Stefan Wirth. As a production dramaturge, he worked with directors such as Sebastian Baumgarten, Herbert Fritsch, Jan Philipp Gloger, Tatjana Gürbaca, Andreas Homoki, Barrie Kosky, Nadja Loschky, David Marton, and Evgeni Titov. He also shares a close artistic partnership with the choreographer and former director of Zurich Ballet, Christian Spuck. For him, Spahn was involved in the development of the productions “Anna Karenina,” “Nussknacker und Mausekönig,” and “Monteverdi” in Zurich, he also wrote libretti for the ballets “Orlando” based on Virginia Woolf (world premiere in 2021 at the Moscow Bolshoi Ballet) and “Bovary” based on Gustave Flaubert (world premiere in 2023 at the Berlin State Ballet). Additionally, he is the librettist of the chamber opera “The Dream of You” by Swiss composer Xavier Dayer, which premiered in 2017 at the Zurich Opera House. Before joining the Zurich Opera House, Claus Spahn was the arts editor for 14 years at the German weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT, where he was responsible for the music section. From 1990 to 1997, he worked as a freelance music journalist mainly for the Süddeutsche Zeitung and Bavarian Broadcasting. Claus Spahn was born in Germany, studied classical guitar in Freiburg im Breisgau, and completed training at the German School of Journalism in Munich.

Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Le nozze di Figaro24 / 29 Jan / 1 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 Feb 2026 / 2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Messa da Requiem20 / 22 / 28 Feb / 1 / 5 / 7 Mar / 6 Apr 2026

Cast

Werther Jonathan Tetelman

Charlotte Anna Goryachova

Sophie Chelsea Zurflüh

Albert Aksel Daveyan

Le Bailli Valeriy Murga

Schmidt Martin Zysset

Johann Evan Gray

Brühlmann Guram Margvelashvili

Käthchen Thalia Cook-Hansen

Jonathan Tetelman

Jonathan Tetelman completed his vocal studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. He has received numerous awards, including the Opus Klassik Newcomer Award in 2023. Since his debut in 2018 as Rodolfo ("La bohème") at the Tanglewood Festival, he has been a regular guest at major opera houses, including the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera and English National Opera in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the San Francisco Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Arena di Verona, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. Among his many artistic collaborators are Plácido Domingo, Elīna Garanča, Jonas Kaufmann, Asmik Grigorian, Kirill Petrenko, and Andris Nelsons, as well as renowned orchestras such as the Accademia di Santa Cecilia and the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics. As an exclusive artist with Deutsche Grammophon, he recorded the award-winning solo albums "Arias" (2022) and "The Great Puccini" (2023). More recently, he made his debut in the concert series "Christmas in Vienna" with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and gave concerts in Munich, Essen, Frankfurt, Prague, Venice, and at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, as well as in South America and with Fort Worth Opera. In opera, his recent roles include Mario Cavaradossi ("Tosca") at the Vienna State Opera, Loris Ipanov ("Fedora") at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the title role in "Faust" at the Bavarian State Opera, and the Duke of Mantua ("Rigoletto") at Palm Beach Opera. In summer 2026, he will appear as Don José ("Carmen") at the Salzburg Festival. He makes his debut at the Zurich Opera House in the 2025/26 season in the title role of "Werther".

Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026

Anna Goryachova

Anna Goryachova studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Her first engagements took her to the St. Petersburg Chamber Opera and to Rome with Philip Glass’s "Witches of Venice", among others. In 2008, she was a prizewinner at the Galina Vishnevskaya International Singing Competition in Moscow. From 2012 to 2017, she was a member of the ensemble at the Zurich Opera House, where she sang roles including Eustazio ("Rinaldo"), Masha (Eötvös’s "Three Sisters"), Zerlina ("Don Giovanni"), Polina ("Pique Dame"), Rosina ("Il barbiere di Siviglia"), Melibea ("Il viaggio a Reims"), Alcina (Haydn’s "Orlando Paladino"), and Adalgisa ("Norma"). Guest appearances have taken her to the Vlaamse Opera in Antwerp, the Théâtre du Châtelet and the Opéra national in Paris, the Dutch National Opera, the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Royal Opera in London, the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the Vienna State Opera, the Theater an der Wien, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, opera houses in Italy, and the Bregenz Festival, among others. In 2022, she made her debut as Angelina ("La Cenerentola") at the Mariinsky Theatre, having previously been awarded "Best Mezzo-Soprano" in Valencia for the role. As a concert singer, she has appeared in Stravinsky’s "Les Noces" in Rome, Rossini’s "Stabat mater" in Pesaro, Verdi’s "Requiem" at the Opéra de Marseille, and Honegger’s "Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher" in Prague, among others. In Zurich, she was most recently seen as Dorabella ("Così fan tutte") and Sara ("Roberto Devereux").

Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026

Chelsea Zurflüh

Chelsea Zurflüh studied voice in Lucerne and at the Bern University of the Arts. In 2024, she won the prestigious Concours de Genève as well as the International Haydn Competition, and in 2025 she won first prize at the SWR Young Opera Stars Competition as well as the Emmerich Smola Orchestra Prize of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie. From 2021 to 2023, she was a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House, where she appeared as Barbarina ("Le nozze di Figaro"), Zaida ("Il turco in Italia"), and Atalanta ("Serse"), among other roles. Guest engagements include Gerhilde ("Die Walküre") at the Prague State Opera, at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Kulturpalast Dresden, and the Cologne Philharmonie under the direction of Kent Nagano, her debut at the Handel Festival in the title role of "Clori, Tirsi e Fileno", as well as Zerlina and the soprano part in "Don Giovanni/Requiem" at the Komische Oper Berlin. Most recently, she made her debut at the Royal Opera in London as Pamina ("Die Zauberflöte"), a role she had previously sung at Cologne Opera, as well as at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich as Marie ("La fille du régiment"). As a concert singer, she has already performed at the Vienna and Berlin Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Liederhalle Stuttgart, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, and the Tonhalle Zurich, among others. Most recently, she sang Handel’s "Messiah" on tour with Ivor Bolton, Mozart’s "Requiem" with Andreas Ottensamer, gave gala concerts alongside Joyce DiDonato and Jonathan Tetelman, and performed the solo parts in the "St John Passion" with Il Pomo d’Oro and in Brahms’s "A German Requiem" with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano. She returns to the Zurich Opera House in the 2025/26 season as Sophie ("Werther").

Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026

Aksel Daveyan

Aksel Daveyan comes from Armenia, where he studied at the State Conservatory in Yerevan. He has been awarded prizes at several competitions, including the Elena Obraztsova Competition in St. Petersburg, the Queen Sonja Competition in Oslo, the Stanisław Moniuszko Singing Competition in Warsaw, and the Gohar Gasparyan Competition in Armenia. From 2022 to 2024, he was a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House, where he appeared as Maestro in Donizetti's "Viva la mamma", Moralès ("Carmen"), Dumas ("Andrea Chénier"), soloist in "Timekeepers", Sciarrone ("Tosca"), Page ("Roberto Devereux"), and as the Consul ("Eliogabalo"). Since 2024, he has been a company member at the Oldenburg State Theatre. His repertoire there includes Giorgio Germont ("La traviata"), Ottokar ("Der Freischütz"), the Forester ("Das schlaue Füchslein"), Moralès, the Captain (Manfred Gurlitt's "Wozzeck"), Figaro ("Il barbiere di Siviglia"), and the Police Chief ("Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk"). As a guest, he has appeared as Marcello ("La bohème") at the Glyndebourne Festival, Figaro ("Il barbiere di Siviglia") at Theater Bonn, and as Prince Yamadori ("Madama Butterfly") with the Berlin Philharmonic at the Baden-Baden Easter Festival, as well as in concert at the Berlin Philharmonie. In concert, he has sung Mansurian's "Requiem" at the National Chamber Music Hall in Yerevan, Haladjian's "Missa de Lumine" at the Frankfurt St. Thomas Church, Fauré's "Requiem" as well as "Seven Prayers" at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall, and Mansurian's "Hymnus Navapet" at the Mendel Festival in Brno. He returns to the Zurich Opera House as Albert ("Werther") and Sonora ("La fanciulla del West").

Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027

Valeriy Murga

Valeriy Murga studied at the National Music Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv. He was a finalist at both the 41st International Singing Competition in Toulouse (1996) and the 7th Julian Gayarre Competition in Pamplona (1998). In 1997, he won second prize at the Maria Callas Grand Prix in Athens and took part in the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 1999. From 1997 to 1999, he was a soloist at the Ukrainian National Opera in Kyiv, where he performed roles including Figaro ("Le nozze di Figaro"), Escamillo ("Carmen"), Schaunard ("La bohème"), and the title roles in "Eugene Onegin", "Don Giovanni", and "Prince Igor". His repertoire also includes roles such as Marchese di Posa ("Don Carlo") and Shaklovity ("Khovanshchina"). At the Zurich Opera House, he first joined the International Opera Studio and during this time appeared as Sciarrone and Jailer ("Tosca") as well as Monterone ("Rigoletto"). Since the beginning of the 2000/01 season, he has been a permanent ensemble member at the Zurich Opera House and has since appeared in roles including Prince Yeletsky ("Pique Dame"), Moralès ("Carmen"), Second Soldier ("Salome"), Alessio ("La sonnambula"), Ali ("L’italiana in Algeri"), Wagner ("Faust"), Sacristan ("Tosca"), and Bogdanowitsch ("Die lustige Witwe"), as well as in family operas such as "Das Gespenst von Canterville", "Robin Hood", "Das verzauberte Schwein", "Jim Knopf", and "Wir pfeiffen auf den Gurkenkönig". He has also appeared as a guest in Eugen d’Albert’s "Tiefland" at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and in "L’italiana in Algeri" at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, and has performed in concerts at the Tonhalle Zurich.

Manon24 / 27 Sept / 3 / 7 / 10 Oct 2025 Tosca28 Sept / 2 / 8 / 11 / 15 / 19 Oct 2025 / 11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Hänsel und Gretel20 / 23 Nov / 2 / 16 / 18 Dec 2025 / 2 / 24 / 25 / 31 Jan 2026 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Alice im Wunderland8 / 15 / 19 / 28 Nov 2026 / 2 / 8 / 17 Jan 2027 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027 Herr der Diebe27 Feb / 2 / 4 / 6 / 7 / 9 / 10 / 11 Mar 2027

Martin Zysset

Martin Zysset was born and raised in Solothurn. He trained as a clarinetist while simultaneously completing vocal studies, which he rounded off with masterclasses with Ernst Haefliger and Edith Mathis. In 1990/91, he was a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House and at the same time a scholarship holder of the Migros Culture Percentage as well as a prizewinner of the Pro Arte Lyrica Competition in Lausanne. Since 1992, he has been a regular guest at the Selzach Summer Festival. He has been a permanent member of the Zurich Opera House since 1991, where he has developed a wide-ranging repertoire of both buffo and dramatic roles, including Pedrillo, Monostatos, Spoletta, Incredibile ("Andrea Chénier"), Jaquino, Kudrjasch ("Káťa Kabanová"), Alfred ("Die Fledermaus"), Tamino, Tybalt, Dancaïro, Arturo, Knusperhexe, Brighella, as well as the male lead in Udo Zimmermann’s "The White Rose". He portrayed Simplicius in the operetta of the same name by Johann Strauss, which was also released on CD and DVD. Guest appearances have taken him throughout Europe, to Shanghai, and with "The Magic Flute", "Le nozze di Figaro", "Fidelio", and "Tannhäuser" to San Diego. For Bavarian Radio, he recorded Lehár’s operetta "Paganini". In Zurich, he has recently sung roles including Don Basilio ("Le nozze di Figaro"), Tschekalinsky ("Pique Dame"), Triquet ("Eugene Onegin"), the Chief Eunuch ("Das Land des Lächelns"), Goro ("Madama Butterfly"), Spoletta ("Tosca"), Dormont ("La scala di seta"), the White Minister ("Le Grand Macabre"), the Devil/Narrator ("Die Geschichte vom Soldaten"), the Third Jew ("Salome"), Schmidt ("Werther"), Feri ("Die Csárdásfürstin"), and Don Curzio ("Le nozze di Figaro").

La scala di seta25 / 28 Sept / 19 / 24 Oct 2025 Madama Butterfly30 Dec 2025 / 3 / 9 / 11 / 13 / 16 Jan 2026 Un ballo in Maschera22 / 28 / 31 May / 7 / 13 Jun / 26 / 27 / 29 / 30 Aug 2026 Le nozze di Figaro24 / 29 Jan / 1 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 Feb 2026 / 2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Arabella14 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 28 Apr 2026 Die Fledermaus29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 La traviata20 / 23 / 29 Dec 2026 / 1 / 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 19 / 23 Jan 2027 Tosca11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027

Evan Gray

Evan Gray is a Swiss bass-baritone from Winterthur. He began his musical training as a treble in the Zurich Boys’ Choir and later transitioned to the bass vocal range. After his initial vocal studies at the Winterthur Conservatory, he went on to study at the renowned Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. His previous roles include the Forester ("Das schlaue Füchslein"), Figaro ("Le nozze di Figaro"), and Leporello ("Don Giovanni"). As an accomplished recital singer, he has performed Schubert’s "Winterreise" and Vaughan Williams’ "Songs of Travel" on multiple occasions and has worked with artists such as Julius Drake and Robert Holl. From 2023 to 2025, he was a guest at the Marlboro Music Festival, where he developed a close artistic relationship with pianist Mitsuko Uchida, who has invited him again for the 2026 summer edition. Since the 2025/26 season, Evan Gray has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House.

Tosca28 Sept / 2 / 8 / 11 / 15 / 19 Oct 2025 Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Sillons de Mémoires5 / 6 / 7 Feb 2026 Giulio Cesare in Egitto11 / 13 / 15 / 17 / 21 / 25 / 28 Mar 2026 Gianni Schicchi2 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 13 May 2026 La traviata20 / 23 / 29 Dec 2026 / 1 / 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 19 / 23 Jan 2027 Roméo et Juliette12 / 19 / 21 Feb / 2 / 5 Mar 2027 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027 Die Zauberflöte2 / 8 / 18 / 20 / 23 Apr 2027 Don Carlo1 / 6 / 8 / 11 Jul 2027 Angels in America7 / 9 / 19 / 21 / 23 May 2027 c-Moll-Messe17 Mar 2027

Guram Margvelashvili

Guram Margvelashvili comes from Georgia. He completed his vocal studies in 2024 at the State Conservatory in Tbilisi. From 2019 to 2023, he was a member of the Tbilisi Opera Studio, where he performed roles such as the Priest and Papageno in "Die Zauberflöte", Valentin in Gounod’s "Faust", as well as the title roles in "Don Giovanni" and "Eugene Onegin". He also sang Belcore in Donizetti’s "L’elisir d’amore". Guram Margvelashvili has received several scholarships and was a finalist in the International Singing Competitions Giuseppe Di Stefano in Sicily and Tamar Iveri in Georgia. Since the 2025/26 season, he has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House.

Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Carmen18 / 21 / 23 / 27 / 31 Jan 2026 Gianni Schicchi2 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 13 May 2026 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Die lustige Witwe27 / 31 Dec 2026 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 Jan 2027 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027 Don Carlo1 / 6 / 8 / 11 Jul 2027 Angels in America7 / 9 / 19 / 21 / 23 May 2027 Don Pasquale23 / 27 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 11 Jun 2027

Thalia Cook-Hansen

Thalia Cook-Hansen comes from the United States. After vocal studies in the USA and Canada, she completed her master’s degree at the Dutch National Opera Academy. In addition, she attended masterclasses with, among others, Elliot Madore, Floris Visser, and Lynne Dawson. In Amsterdam, she appeared as Nerina in Haydn’s "La fedeltà premiata", Fanny in Rossini’s "La cambiale di matrimonio", Bastienne in Mozart’s "Bastien et Bastienne", and Adele in "Die Fledermaus". She also sang Barbarina ("Le nozze di Figaro") at the Estates Theatre in Prague, as well as the First Lady ("Die Zauberflöte") and Mademoiselle Silberklang ("Der Schauspieldirektor") in Toronto. Her repertoire further includes roles such as Bubikopf in Viktor Ullmann’s "Der Kaiser von Atlantis", Singer No. 1 in Conrad Susa’s "Transformations", Amore in Monteverdi’s "Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria", and the title role in Donizetti’s "Lucia di Lammermoor". Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House.

Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Der Rosenkavalier26 Sept / 1 / 5 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 26 Oct 2025 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Gianni Schicchi2 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 13 May 2026 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Tannhäuser26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Alice im Wunderland19 / 21 Nov / 6 Dec 2026 / 2 / 7 / 17 Jan 2027 Die lustige Witwe27 / 31 Dec 2026 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 Jan 2027 Angels in America7 / 9 / 19 / 21 / 23 May 2027 c-Moll-Messe17 Mar 2027 Concert Kinderopernorchester25 May / 1 / 13 / 18 / 21 / 28 Jun 2026

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Orchester der Oper Zürich

Kinderchor der Oper Zürich

SoprAlti der Oper Zürich

Zusatzchor der Oper Zürich

Statistenverein am Opernhaus Zürich

Orchester der Oper Zürich

Cast

Der Rosenkavalier21 / 26 Sept / 1 / 5 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 26 Oct 2025 Tugan Sokhiev12 Jul 2026 Manon24 / 27 Sept / 3 / 7 / 10 Oct 2025 La scala di seta25 / 28 Sept / 19 / 24 Oct 2025 Tosca28 Sept / 2 / 8 / 11 / 15 / 19 Oct 2025 / 11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027 Capuçon & Heras-Casado4 Oct 2025 Tannhäuser21 / 24 / 27 Jun / 2 / 5 / 8 / 11 Jul / 26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Cardillac15 / 18 / 21 / 25 Feb / 1 / 6 / 10 Mar 2026 La Damnation de Faust10 / 14 / 17 May 2026 Hänsel und Gretel16 / 20 / 23 / 28 / 30 Nov / 2 / 4 / 11 / 16 / 18 / 21 Dec 2025 / 2 / 24 / 25 / 31 Jan 2026 Carmen18 / 21 / 23 / 27 / 31 Jan 2026 Un ballo in Maschera22 / 28 / 31 May / 7 / 13 Jun / 26 / 27 / 29 / 30 Aug 2026 La forza del destino2 / 7 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 26 / 29 Nov / 17 / 21 Dec 2025 Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Le nozze di Figaro24 / 29 Jan / 1 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 Feb 2026 / 2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Fidelio3 / 6 / 10 / 14 / 16 May 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Ehnes & Noseda23 Nov 2025 Die Fledermaus7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 18 / 26 / 28 / 31 Dec 2025 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 10 Jan / 29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Altstaedt & Chan11 Jan 2026 Jussen & Rustioni8 Feb 2026 Celebratory concert for Ralf Weikert’s 85th birthday22 Feb 2026 Monster's Paradise8 / 14 / 18 Mar / 10 / 12 Apr 2026 Messa da Requiem20 / 22 / 28 Feb / 1 / 5 / 7 Mar / 6 Apr 2026 Arabella14 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 28 Apr 2026 Romeo und Julia23 / 29 / 30 May / 2 / 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 23 / 26 Jun / 20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Open-Air-Concert28 Jun 2026 / 4 Jul 2027 Mühlemann & Noseda21 / 28 Mar / 1 Apr 2026 Europa-Tournee 2026 «Messa da Requiem»22 / 23 / 25 / 26 / 29 / 31 Mar 2026 Die Zauberflöte20 / 25 Sept / 6 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 30 Oct 2026 / 2 / 8 / 18 / 20 / 23 Apr 2027 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum26 Sept / 11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 1th Philharmonic Concert3 Oct 2026 Alice im Wunderland8 / 15 / 19 / 21 / 26 / 28 Nov / 6 Dec 2026 / 2 / 7 / 8 / 10 / 17 Jan 2027 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 Das Rheingold29 Nov / 4 / 12 / 17 Dec 2026 Gabetta & Noseda7 Nov 2026 Manon Lescaut11 / 15 / 18 / 22 / 26 Dec 2026 Fuchs & Jordan1 / 2 Jan 2027 Trifonov & Järvi16 Jan 2027 Die Walküre24 / 31 Jan / 3 / 6 Feb 2027 Doctor Atomic7 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 24 / 28 Feb 2027 Roméo et Juliette12 / 19 / 21 Feb / 2 / 5 Mar 2027 Sorita & Lyniv14 Feb 2027 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027 L'elisir d'amore25 / 27 / 29 Apr / 2 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 14 / 17 / 21 May 2027 Balanas & Peltokoski18 Apr 2027 Requiem pour Ophélie4 / 7 / 9 May 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027 Don Pasquale23 / 27 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 11 Jun 2027 Samson et Dalila13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27 / 30 Jun / 2 / 9 Jul 2027 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027 Don Carlo1 / 6 / 8 / 11 Jul 2027 Viotti29 May 2027 Rachmaninov – Die drei Opern1 / 4 / 8 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 28 Nov 2026 Benefiz «amiamusica»2 Oct 2026

Zusatzchor der Oper Zürich

Cast

Tannhäuser21 / 24 / 27 Jun / 2 / 5 / 8 / 11 Jul 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Giulio Cesare in Egitto11 / 13 / 15 / 17 / 21 / 25 / 28 Mar 2026 Sillons de Mémoires5 / 6 / 7 Feb 2026 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 Le nozze di Figaro2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027

Statistenverein am Opernhaus Zürich

Der Statistenverein am Opernhaus Zürich wurde im Jahr 1900 gegründet und dürfte damit einer der traditionsreichsten Vereine auf dem Kulturplatz Zürich sein. Rund hundert Frauen und Männer im Alter von 16 bis 70 Jahren bereichern das Bühnengeschehen in zahlreichen Inszenierungen.Statisten, früher auch als Figuranten bezeichnet, haben generell nicht sprechende Rollen. Ihre Einsätze am Opernhaus Zürich fallen je nach Inszenierung unterschiedlich umfangreich aus. Während früher Massenszenen im Vordergrund standen, sind die Statistinnen und Statisten seit der Ära Pereira und der Intendanz von Andreas Homoki zunehmend auch für aufwändigere Einzelauftritte sowie für anspruchsvolle technische Einsätze gefragt. Die Mitglieder des Statistenvereins üben ihre Einsätze in der Freizeit und ohne finanzielle Interessen aus. Sie bringen Begeisterung für Musik und Theater mit.

Manon24 / 27 Sept / 3 / 7 / 10 Oct 2025 La scala di seta25 / 28 Sept / 19 / 24 Oct 2025 Tosca28 Sept / 2 / 8 / 11 / 15 / 19 Oct 2025 / 11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027 Madama Butterfly30 Dec 2025 / 3 / 9 / 11 / 13 / 16 Jan 2026 Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Le nozze di Figaro24 / 29 Jan / 1 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 Feb 2026 / 2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Così fan tutte3 / 7 / 9 / 12 Jul 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Arabella14 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 28 Apr 2026 Der Rosenkavalier21 / 26 Sept / 1 / 5 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 26 Oct 2025 La clemenza di Tito26 / 29 Apr / 3 / 8 / 15 / 17 / 20 / 25 May 2026 Cardillac15 / 18 / 21 / 25 Feb / 1 / 6 / 10 Mar 2026 Hänsel und Gretel16 / 20 / 23 / 28 / 30 Nov / 2 / 4 / 11 / 16 / 18 / 21 Dec 2025 / 2 / 24 / 25 / 31 Jan 2026 Carmen18 / 21 / 23 / 27 / 31 Jan 2026 Un ballo in Maschera22 / 28 / 31 May / 7 / 13 Jun 2026 Die Fledermaus7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 18 / 26 / 28 / 31 Dec 2025 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 10 Jan / 29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 Giulio Cesare in Egitto11 / 13 / 15 / 17 / 21 / 25 / 28 Mar 2026 Scylla et Glaucus27 / 29 / 31 Mar / 2 / 6 / 30 Apr / 2 May 2026 La forza del destino2 / 7 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 26 / 29 Nov / 17 / 21 Dec 2025 Sillons de Mémoires5 / 6 / 7 Feb 2026 Gianni Schicchi2 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 13 May 2026 Monster's Paradise8 / 14 / 18 Mar / 10 / 12 Apr 2026 Alice im Wunderland8 / 15 / 19 / 21 / 26 / 28 Nov / 6 Dec 2026 / 2 / 7 / 8 / 10 / 17 Jan 2027 Manon Lescaut11 / 15 / 18 / 22 / 26 Dec 2026 Die lustige Witwe27 / 31 Dec 2026 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 Jan 2027 Die Walküre24 / 31 Jan / 3 / 6 Feb 2027 Roméo et Juliette12 / 19 / 21 Feb / 2 / 5 Mar 2027 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027 Don Carlo1 / 6 / 8 / 11 Jul 2027 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 Rinaldo22 / 24 / 26 / 28 Feb / 14 / 19 / 23 / 25 / 27 / 29 Mar 2027 Samson et Dalila13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27 / 30 Jun / 2 / 9 Jul 2027 Tannhäuser26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Doctor Atomic7 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 24 / 28 Feb 2027

Abstract

Jules Massanet’s «Werther», based on Goethe’s famous Sturm und Drang novel, is a poignant opera rife with emotion. The music subtly depicts the tense triangle of relationships between a love-sick young Werther, his darling Charlotte, and her staid fiancé Albert. Werther refuses to accept a life without dreams and finally – when faced with his unrequited love – takes his own life. Jonathan Tetlman, of the most successful of the new generation of tenors, makes his debut at the Opernhaus Zürich.

Trailer «Werther»

Photos «Werther»

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Synopsis

Discover the heart of every story: Our synopses provide guidance on the plot and the conflicts that drive its characters.

Synopsis

Discover the heart of every story: Our synopses provide guidance on the plot and the conflicts that drive its characters.

Act One
Christmas songs are being rehearsed at the bailiff’s house in the middle of summer. The widowed master of the house himself is practising with his children, for his eldest daughter Charlotte, who has been running the household with great care since her mother’s death, is dressing for the festive village ball, which she will attend with young Werther. Friends of the family, Johann and Schmidt, drop by. They poke fun at the curious singing lesson and want to take the bailiff out with them to the inn.
Werther comes to fetch Charlotte for the ball. He is enraptured by her and the world in which she is at home. Charlotte gives the children their supper and asks her younger sister Sophie to take care of the little ones while she is out. Charlotte and Werther set out for the ball.
Charlotte’s fiancé Albert returns from an extended business trip and finds only Sophie at home. Albert is happy with his love for Charlotte and looking forward to seeing her again. He wants to surprise his bride with his return the next day.
Late in the night, by the light of the moon, Charlotte and Werther return from the ball. He emphatically confesses his love for her. She remembers her mother’s death and the oath that she swore on her deathbed – that she would take care of the family and her younger siblings like a mother.
The intimate conversation ends abruptly when the bailiff reminds Charlotte of her fiancé by calling from a distance that Albert has returned. Werther falls into despair over the fact that his beloved Charlotte is promised to another.

Act Two
It is Sunday, and a golden wedding is being celebrated. Johann and Schmidt comment on the festivities. Charlotte and Albert, who are now married, are also present. Werther appears, sees Charlotte at Albert’s side and dreams of what it would be like if he himself could spend his life with Charlotte.
Albert understands Werther’s feelings, speaks comfortingly to him and draws his attention to Sophie, who herself attempts to cheer up the unhappy man and arouse his interest in her.
Werther, however, is entirely wrapped up in his heartache. He undertakes to renounce Charlotte and go away from her, but during another, private encounter he is once again overwhelmed by his feelings. He reminds her of the tender moments they shared at the ball.
Charlotte remains aloof and vigorously rejects him, telling him that he must leave. She now belongs to her husband Albert, but could perhaps envisage seeing him again at Christmas. Werther remains alone with thoughts of suicide.
Sophie comes again to take Werther to the party. In despair, he announces his intention of going away for ever.

Act Three
It is Christmas Day, and Charlotte is alone. Her feelings for Werther are stronger than she wanted to admit to herself. Unable to quell her great longing, she reads his passionate letters to her over and over again, shuddering at the bleak allusions to suicide they contain.
Sophie comes to visit, detects her sister’s melancholy mood and makes her promise to celebrate Christmas evening at their parents’ house.
Once Charlotte is alone again amid mounting despair, Werther suddenly stands before her. He could do nothing other than return to her on the day that she had named at their last encounter. The pair reminisce about the beautiful moments they have shared. Charlotte shows Werther the songs of Ossian, which they once read together. Deeply moved, he once more reads a few lines to her. Her emotional reaction leads him to believe that she is also in love with him. They fall into each other’s arms.
Then, however, Charlotte regains her composure and declares that they must never see one another again. Werther now takes the irrevocable decision to kill himself.
Albert has learned of Werther’s secret visit. Just as he is taking Charlotte to task about it, a messenger delivers a letter from Werther in which he announces that he is about to embark on an extended journey and asks Albert to lend him a pistol. Albert orders Charlotte to hand it over to the messenger.

Act Four
Werther has shot himself with Albert’s pistol. Charlotte finds him, mortally wounded. She feels she is to blame for his deed and acknowledges that she loves him as deeply as he does her. She gives him the kiss that he has always dreamt of receiving from her.
As he lies dying, Werther is happy and says that this moment does not mean the end of his life, but only just the beginning.
The children’s Christmas songs can be heard from afar. Werther dies.