Duke Bluebeard's Castle - A Minimal Opera

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

Duke Bluebeard's Castle (A kékszakállú herceg vára), op. 11 (1911)
Libretto by Béla Balázs based on the fairy tale La Barbe bleue ( Bluebeard )

NN, Duke Kékszakallú/Bluebeard
NN, Judith
Daniel Grossmann, conductor

Martin Valdés-Stauber, scenic design

JEWISH
Without the Jewish-Hungarian-German author Béla Balázs, Bartók's opera would not exist: In 1910, Balázs wrote the symbolist drama Bluebeard's Castle based on the legend circulating throughout Europe. He dedicated his work to the composers Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. Bartók heard the text at Kodály's home and immediately recognized its stage potential: Balázs emphasizes the tragedy of the title character and the idea of ​​redemption, impressively narrating 'the tragedy of a soul destined to be alone.'

TODAY
Together with dramaturge Martin Valdés-Stauber, Daniel Grossmann develops the concept of the 'chamber opera' further – resulting in a contemporary performance form, the 'minimal opera', in which stories are told on stage using simple but all the more impressive means.

FOR ALL
Opera for everyone in the theater, without an orchestra pit, very direct. A story we know from fairy tales, but one that takes on a new dimension on stage – enigmatic, yet relatable, almost familiar. Opera where you're right in the middle of it!

From the 2025-26 season, the JCOM will be the 'Orchestra in Residence' at the Munich Kammerspiele.