A Brand New Staging

Richard Strauss' hilarious opera-within-an-opera arrives at the Canadian Opera Company, in a brand new staging masterminded by director Paul Curran! Ariadne auf Naxos is a self-aware story, about a highly serious opera that somehow accidentally ends up as chaotic comedy featuring a troupe of clowns. A delightful de-construction of opera as an artform and the ever-raging battle between "high art" and "low art" for a place in the public consciousness, Johannes Debus conducts the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra through Strauss' magnificent music.

What Is The Story?

One of the richest men in Vienna is putting on one hell of a party. He's hired two completely opposed groups to perform at his soiree - a self-serious opera company with high ideals, and a bawdy group of comedians. After the dinner runs late, there's only time for one performance. But the host wants to see both. Hence, a perfect solution presents itself: perform them at the same time. Cue an absolute firestorm of clashing artistic ideals, egos, and a night set for abject chaos. Who's ready for a show?