Rusalka's song to the moon is one of the highlights in the fairy-tale world of Dvořák’s supremely romantic opera which premieres in October.
Star soprano Malin Byström, who’s strong title roles include Salome, Jenůfa and Tosca, debuts in the role as Rusalka, the water nymph who longs to be human. Her prince is the Czech tenor Ladislav Elgr. Hege Høisæter sings the witch Ježibaba, Jongmin Park is Vodník and Allison Cook is the Foreign Princess. Eivind Gullberg Jensen conducts the Bergen Philharmonic.
Dvořák’s Rusalka is regarded as a national treasure in the Czech Republic, however in Norway this romantic and melodic gem is rarely performed. Gullberg Jensen conducted Rusalka, for the first time in Norway, in Oslo in 2009 for the Norwegian Opera & Ballet.
Whilst the music is classic, and the world it inhabits unique, director Àlex Ollé plans to go deeper than just conveying a fairy tale: for him, the fatal love story about the water nymph Rusalka and the prince is an allegory of alienation and being different in the world today.
– I look very much forward to presenting Rusalka, an opera which has been with me throughout my opera career. Since conducting it in 2009 in the brand new opera house in Oslo it has become one of my personal favourites. It is a joy that this wonderful universe now can be experienced in Bergen, says Eivind Gullberg Jensen.
The famous aria "Song to the moon" is one of the highlights of the opera. Enjoy this wonderful recording from The Metropolitan Opera i New York, with soprano Renée Fleming as Rusalka.
RUSALKA
Opera in three acts
Antonín Dvorák / Music
Jaroslav Kvapil / Libretto
Creative team
Eivind Gullberg Jensen / Conductor
Àlex Ollé / Stage Director
Alfons Flores / Set Designer
Lluc Castells / Costume Designer
Urs Schönebaum / Lighting Designer
Håkon Matti Skrede / Chorus Master
Cast
Malin Byström / Rusalka
Ladislav Elgr / The Prince
Allison Cook / The foreign princess
Jongmin Park / Vodnik
Hege Høisæter / Ježibaba
Igor Gnidii / Gamekeeper
Siv Oda Hagerupsen / Kitchen boy
Hamida Kristoffersen / First wood nymph
Marcela Randem / Second wood nymph
Monika Jägerová / Third wood nymph
Ian Marcus Bjørsvik / A hunter
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Edvard Grieg Kor
Ladies' voices from Bergen Philharmonic Chorus
Premiere Saturday 23th of October 2021 1800/6 PM CET
Further performances 25th, 27th and 29th of October 1900/7 PM CET
Grieghallen in Bergen , Norway
A new production by Bergen National Opera
Presented by Bergen National Opera in collaboration
with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Edvard Grieg Kor