Myth experienced: Hotel Metamorphosis at the Salzburg Festival!

Myth experienced: Hotel Metamorphosis at the Salzburg Festival!

Salzburg, Österreich - On May 29, 2025, the Salzburg Pentecost Festival will take an exciting view of the new production of "Hotel Metamorphosis" under the direction of Barrie Kosky. This production combines 40 music works by the great baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi with texts from Ovid's timeless "metamorphoses", which have been considered a cultural inspiration for over 2000 years. The premiere took place on June 6, 2023 and was very popular.

The concept of the piece is based on the idea of ​​interpreting the opera as a living form of recycling. Kosky wants to revitalize mythological stories that deal with the topics of change and transformation. The central figure is the legendary Orpheus, represented by Angela Winkler, which leads through various narrative worlds and whose stories research the complex boundaries between humans, nature and gods.

musical and dramaturgical design

The musical accompaniment is carried out by the ensemble "Les Musiciens du Prince", under the direction of Gianluca Capuano. The dramaturgy cleverly combines the choreography of Otto Pichler and the equipment of Michael Levine, which is supposed to cause the sterile aesthetics of anonymous hotel rooms. The ensemble is supported by prominent soloists such as Cecilia Bartoli, Nadezha Karyazina and Philippe Jaroussky.

The content of the work draws from five selected stories of Ovid, which reflect dramatic changes. The stories tell of profound human experiences, such as the desire for a young woman to be transformed into a tree, or the tragic consequences when a young man ignores the advances of a nymph. We also learn from a goddess who transforms her rival into a spider because of her weaving art, and from a man who is put on by a stable statue of a perfect woman.

further performances and cultural relevance

• The next performances are planned for June 8, 2025.
• Other dates are July 31st and the 5th, 10th, 13th and 15th of August 2025 during the Salzburg Festival.

This unique combination of Vivaldi's music and ovid's "metamorphoses" enables the audience to experience constant transformation in mythology. The stories are deeply rooted in human perceptions that challenge the boundaries between dream, reality and hallucination. Vivaldi, known for a long time as a composer of instrumental music, finds a new dimension in the opera world, which is brought back into focus through the contemporary design of Kosky.

With the revitalization of these classic works directed by Barrie Kosky, “Hotel Metamorphosis” will play an important role in the 2025 Salzburg Festival and perform performing.

For more information about production, please visit krone.at , Salzburger Festival and Opera-Online .