Performance dates: March 15, 18, 22, 26, 29 & June 29

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

“Oh, ye perfect spectacle of love and innocence!” (sic) This exclamation by Werther in the opera’s first act has a paradigmatic effect on both the scene of childhood innocence, which Werther experiences at that moment, and on the entire opera. Jules Massenet bestows on Goethe’s masterpiece a powerful, deeply moving piece of music and affords the love triangle between Werther, Charlotte and Albert an emotional force, which none can escape.

The epistolary novel’s after-effects with the most famous suicide in literary history run deep into the romance era and have inspired countless artists to create their own interpretation of the material. Goethe was decidedly popular in France in particular, where Massenet was also engulfed by this “Goethe fever”, and he created an opera closely modelled on the original. Werther loves the young Charlotte, but she is already engaged to Albert and intends to be true to her promise, despite her affection for Werther. So begins a hopeless love. While with Goethe Charlotte’s love for Werther is purely platonic, almost sisterly in nature, Massenet and his librettists develop their feelings into a true, romantic love, which, however, can only be acknowledged in the face of death. Created in an age of far-reaching social upheaval, Massenet places personal individuality front and centre with an emotionality almost raised to a Gefühlsreligion ("emotional religion"). As with Goethe, depression and enthusiasm are also inseparably interwoven in Massenet’s opera. With his drama lyrique, Massenet created a musical drama of high, ineluctable emotionality, and one of the most beautiful romantic scores.