Dresden, 7 February 2025. With its fifth premiere production of the season, the Semperoper invites families and guests of all ages to an evening of dreams and reflection. On Sunday, 16 February 2025, Maurice Ravel’s musical exploration of a child’s world of imagination, L’enfant et les sortilèges will be performed for the first time in Dresden in the acclaimed production byJames Bonas and Grégoire Pont. Regarding his work, the British stage director commented: “We allow the audience to imagine.”
The Dresden premiere of this love letter to the power of fantasy and the magic of opera concludes a week of festivities during which the Semperoper celebrates the 40th anniversary of the reopening of Dresden’s opera house. As a special birthday present to local audiences, tickets for the entire series of performances are being sold at a standard price of 12 euros (concessions: 6 euros).
Ravel’s fairytale opera deals with a salutary lesson learnt by a stubborn and naughty child. In a tantrum, the boy destroys the toys in his room and even torments animals. But then something magical happens when the damaged objects and animals come to life and begin to speak. They complain about the child’s behaviour and teach him the importance of compassion and remorse.
Together with the artist and author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, the impressionist composer Maurice Ravel created this short opera in just eight days. L’enfant et les sortilèges, which premiered in Monaco on 21 March 1925, is a “lyrical fantasy in two parts”. Written for large orchestra, mixed chorus and eight soloists, Ravel affectionately explores the complex interior world of the child while borrowing from diverse styles and using a range of musical references.
Britain’s James Bonas is making his Dresden directorial debut with this co-production of the Opéra national de Lyon and the Auditori de Barcelona. A world of magic is created on stage, not least through the video projections of Grégoire Pont. The images interact with the vocal ensemble led by Nicole Chirka in the role of the Child and the musicians of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Elias Grandy, principal conductor of the Japanese Sapporo Symphony Orchestra, is making his Dresden conducting debut in this production.
L’enfant et les sortilèges by Maurice Ravel
Staging: James Bonas, concept & video: Grégoire Pont
Premiere at 5 pm on Sunday, 16 February 2025, in the Semperoper
Additional performances on 22 & 23 February as well as 9 & 19 March 2025
With Nicole Chirka, Jasmin Delfs, Michal Doron, Sofia Savenko, Dominika Škrabalová, Magdalena Lucjan as well as Simeon Esper, Anton Beliaev and Martin-Jan Nijhof.
The Staatskapelle Dresden will perform under the baton of Elias Grandy.
Also on stage: the Dresden Symphony Chorus – the auxiliary choir of the Semperoper Dresden.
Generously supported by the Semperoper Foundation
A production of the Opéra national de Lyon in cooperation with Auditori de Barcelona
Tickets for Semperoper events can be purchased from the Schinkelwache box office on Theaterplatz (+49 (0)351 4911 705). Alternatively, book your tickets and reserve seats via our online ticket shop, which offers a 3D-seating plan.
Please send any requests for review tickets (along with details of the editorial brief and likely publication dates) to presse@semperoper.de.
High-quality photos and other press materials can be downloaded from our dedicated press page at www.semperoper.de/en/press.